Prostate Cancer And Dementia- How Are They Related
People having prostate cancer are generally treated with androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) which reduces the testosterone level of the body and cures prostate cancer. This is a common line of treatment.
But recently, a study said that though prostate cancer is treated with ADT, but this therapy can increase the risk of dementia. Previously it was known that prostate cancer treatment could increase depression and Alzheimer’s disease. But the current study includes all sorts of dementia, which is more horrifying.
About The Study
The research was piloted conjointly by Stanford University School of Medicine and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine. Researchers studied 9,279 males between 1994 to 2013, who never had dementia, but were suffering from prostate cancer. After 5 years, it was found that people who were given androgen deprivation therapy, almost 7.9% of them developed dementia, whereas only 3.5% people developed dementia who were not treated with androgen deprivation therapy.
This study is basically a retrospective study, and hence no cause and effect were discovered. But it is assumed that this line of therapy increases the risk of cardiovascular diseases which is a common risk factor associated with dementia.
Unfortunately, ADT or androgen deprivation therapy is the most common way of treatment for this cancer. Almost half million Americans undergo this treatment every year.
Source- The New York Times
Prostate Cancer Symptoms
As the symptoms of prostate cancer vary for each individual, hence it is advisable to do routine screening at the clinic to check if you are prone to prostate cancer. Some of the common symptoms and early signs of this cancer are-
- Hematuria or blood in urine
- Loss of control of bladder
- Difficulty in urination
- Decreased velocity of urination
- Pain during urinating
- Blood in semen
- Pain and numbness in the feet, legs or hip
- Hurting ejaculation
- Swelling in the pelvic area
Is There A Diet for Preventing Prostate Cancer?
Of course, you should have a balanced diet which is advisable for all people of all age groups. Still, some of the specific foods to include and exclude from the diet are as follows-
Reduce animal fat-
The study says that more animal fat, especially red meat can increase the chances to have this cancer.
Avoid junk foods-
Junk foods contain a high amount of trans fat. This can result in this cancer.
Consume more fish-
Fish contains omega-3 fatty acid, which is very good for preventing prostate cancer. To be more specific, you should have cold water fish, like salmon, sardines mackerel, trout. But avoid fried fish. You can have grilled, baked, poached fish at least 3-4 times a week.
Increase fresh fruit and vegetables in your diet–
A diet rich in fresh fruits and vegetables not only reduces the chance of prostate cancer, but keeps you safe from many other ailments also. So try including as much fruits and vegetables possible in your diet.
Avoid high-calcium diet-
Foods that are rich in calcium, like milk, should be avoided while you have prostate cancer.
Consume foods with Vitamin-C-
Citrus fruits are rich in vitamin C, and it should be consumed daily in case you are having early signs of this cancer. Foods include lemon, mango, spinach, etc.
Drink green tea-
Add green tea to your diet to prevent the risks of getting prostate cancer.
Eat green leafy vegetables-
Leafy green vegetables, like spinach, cabbage, etc. are a must to include in your diet to prevent this cancer and other serious ailments.
No flaxseed oil-
Flaxseed oil can increase the risk of prostate cancer. So avoid it if you are having early signs of prostate cancer.
Cook with olive oil-
Olive oil is much healthier than other oil, and you can cook your food using olive oil to avoid the risks of prostate cancer.