Abstract
There is dramatic international variation in prostate cancer mortality rates. The variation suggests that the disease has an environmental cause and encourages the search for a way to prevent it. Androgenic stimulation over a period of time, perhaps due to a high fat diet, has been suggested as a cause of prostate cancer. The corollary to this hypothesis is that lowering androgenic stimulation over time will prevent prostate cancer. 5-Alpha-reductase inhibition through drugs like finasteride have been shown to decrease androgenic stimulation of the prostate. A clinical trial is underway using finasteride to assess this hypothesis. Epidemiological and laboratory studies also suggest that those with high selenium and vitamin E intake have a lower risk of prostate cancer. Recent serendipitous findings of two randomised clinical trials support this. A study to assess these compounds is currently being designed. Other promising but less developed interventions in the chemoprevention of prostate cancer include vitamin D supple-mentation and diet modification.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 1312-1315 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | European Journal of Cancer |
Volume | 36 |
Issue number | 10 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Jan 1 2000 |
Externally published | Yes |
Keywords
- 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor
- Alpha tocopherol
- Chemoprevention
- Clinical trials
- Prostate
- Prostate cancer
- Selenium
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Oncology
- Cancer Research