If diagnosed early the prognosis for men affected by this form of cancer is good, however this disease still claims over 26,000 lives every year, making fears over it hold weight. University College London has recently conducted some research which may offer hope for those with prostate cancer.
The phase III clinical trial involved 413 patients which were treated at 47 different centers in 10 European countries, funded by STEBA Biotech whom holds the patent for vascular targeted photodynamic therapy. VTP therapy involves injecting light sensitive drug WST11 directly into the patient bloodstream, then activating the drug via a laser causing the tumor tissue to die.
WST11 is cultivated from bacteria that live on the ocean floor that have little exposure to light and have developed the ability to convert light into energy effectively; by utilizing this ability the drug is able to release free radicals that when activated by a laser kill cancer cells without damaging healthy tissues.
Mainstream medicine currently offers 2 treatment options for prostate cancer: Active surveillance involving monitoring the disease until it becomes more severe; or Radical therapy involving the entire prostate being either removed or irradiated which has severe long term side effects including incontinence and/or erectile issues.
Vascular targeted photodynamic therapy causes short term urinary and erectile problems which resolve quickly, to completely disappear within 2 years. 49% of the trial patients went into complete remission after treatment, compared to only 13.5% of the control group. Only 6% of the trial patients went on to require radical therapy compared to 30% of the controls.
VPT therapy offers much hope, however it is still being reviewed by the European Medicines Agency and is not likely to become mainstream for the next several years.
In the meantime high levels of the hormone prostate specific antigen have been associated with elevated risk of prostate cancer, as such reducing levels as much as possible stands to reason. Certain foods and juices such as pomegranate juice, green tea, cruciferous vegetables, garlic, flaxseed, licorice root and turmeric have been proven to help reduce these levels naturally. Studies have also shown those who eat higher levels of certain foods and supplements have lower risks of developing prostate cancer later in life such as zinc, boron, vitamin D, and selenium.
Prevention is always preferable to a cure; preventative habits such as a healthy well balanced diet including plenty of organic fruits and vegetables, avoiding GMOs, getting enough sleep, reducing and managing stress, and being physically active are the basics of good health that apply to everyone.
