Metabolic syndrome may raise risk of prostate cancer return

Metabolic syndrome may raise risk of prostate cancer return

It’s one thing to be diagnosed with prostate cancer.  But it’s a totally different experience having it reoccur.  The most common cancer in men is prostate cancer with up to 30 percent of men who will have a recurrence after removal of the prostate.  A study has shed light on what may be putting certain men at risk for raising their risk of prostate cancer returning for a second time.

The research team analyzed data from 1,100 prostate cancer patients with an average age of 60 at the time of diagnosis who had undergone a radical prostatectomy between 2003 and 2013.  Of these men, 34% were obese and 19% had metabolic syndrome, both risk factors for increasing risk of heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Signs of metabolic syndrome can be obesity, high blood sugar levels, abnormal cholesterol or triglyceride levels, and high blood pressure.

During the study, each man was followed for an average of four years.  Discovered was that more than 32% of the men who were obese had a return of their prostate cancer compared to around 17% of men who were not obese.

The men who had metabolic syndrome had about a four times higher risk of prostate cancer returning than men without metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome and obesity are prevalent in the U.S.  The results of his study point to the fact that men who present with prostate cancer and have metabolic syndrome and or obesity, should be followed-up more closely to “catch” a possible return of cancer before it has a chance to spread.

This observational study does not prove that obesity and metabolic syndrome dare responsible for prostate cancer returning but it would be advisable for men to reduce their risk of metabolic syndrome.

Metabolic syndrome can be treated with lifestyle modification which is the preferred treatment rather than resorting to medications.  Some of the lifestyle changes that will need to occur are:

·      Weight reduction

·      Stop smoking

·      Exercise – choose a sustainable exercise program such as 30 minutes five days a week. 

·      Consume a healthy diet such as the Mediterranean Diet or the DASH eating plan (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension)

·      Have regular doctor visits to keep track of your blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels – important indicators of your health.

When a man loses weight, stops smoking, includes exercise and eats a healthy diet, there will be substantial beneficial effects on blood pressure, cholesterol levels, and insulin sensitivity and thus result in lowering your chance of metabolic syndrome and his chance of developing prostate cancer to begin with.