The statistics about prostate cancer are sobering: More than 220,000 new cases will be reported this year and as many as 30,000 men will die from the disease. It's the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men. Every man over 50 is at risk. Those with close relatives who have had the disease and African Americans are at even greater risk.
So what's the good news? While there's nothing we can do about age or heredity, prostate cancer is treatable, beatable and with certain lifestyle changes, may even be preventable. Thanks to early detection through regular screening (from age 50 and earlier for those at greater risk), advances in treatment, and education about risk reduction, the death rate from prostate cancer has gone down 33 percent in the past seven years.
Medical research continues to show that diet can play a major role in reducing prostate cancer risk. A diet high in fruits and vegetables gives our bodies potent weapons for fighting cancer. Scientists have identified selenium, an essential mineral, as a key risk reducer. Selenium is found in mushrooms-the only good source in the produce department-as well as in some meats and grains.
Selenium came to the forefront of prostate cancer research when, in 1996, skin cancer patients were given selenium to learn whether it would prevent recurrence. It had no effect on skin cancer, but researchers noticed that it did decrease prostate cancer incidence by more than 60 percent. This and other findings prompted the National Cancer Institute to undertake a 12-year-long clinical study with 32,000 men to determine to what extent selenium, working with vitamin E, can prevent prostate cancer.
In the meantime, the best advice is to eat plenty of cancer-fighting foods such as selenium-rich mushrooms. Virtually fat-free and low in calories and carbohydrates, mushrooms are a flavorful addition to any meal. Toss some into your salad, add them to pasta sauce, scatter them over pizza or tuck them into an omelet. When you buy fresh mushrooms, look for the blue ribbon, the symbol for prostate cancer awareness, on the label.
Rich in selenium, mushrooms may help prevent prostate cancer.
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