Thread: Prostate Cancer

Originally Posted by superquag

The bloke who invented the PSA test no longer regards it as valid or useful as a screening tool, so I would'nt put any more faith in it for this... -better off to let the Doc's finger go where "No Man Has Been Before". Or Since Last Year...

I have heard doctors discussing this on the wireless, and yes they reckon it is not the most accurate, but it is the best available at this time. (Apart from the finger). Unless the rules have changed there is also another problem. Under bulk billing by pathologists, you are only allowed one PSA in twelve months. I had a neighbour that had a PSA. It came back positive, cancer in the earliest possible stage of detection. Great news that it was so early as operation was 100% successful.

Now had he had this PSA done one month earlier it would not have shown up. Twelve months after this and he would have advanced cancer.

Ralph. My father in law had bowel cancer when he was 50. He is now 75 and this was done 25 years ago! So chin up mate, and hopefully your dad will come out the other side ok.

Fish oil supplements increase prostate cancer risk, says study

The research reported a 71 per cent increased risk of prostate cancer among men who consume omega-3s, fatty acids regularly extolled for their health benefits.

I guess that this quote is appropriate

I can live with doubt and uncertainty. I think it's much more interesting to live not knowing than to have answers which might be wrong.
— Richard P. Feynman

That quote is rather prophetic, isn't it

"...Lead author Alan Kristal, of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, said the study reinforced that nutritional supplements may be harmful."

Pardon my cynicsm, but a 'text' without a context is a pretext... I'd ask questions such as,

Who is Alan Kristal ? Who funded the study? who or what is the FH Cancer Research Center?...

and who profits from the conclusion 'that nutritional supplements may be harmful' ?

Are we aware that the war on non-mainstream (ie, Big Pharma) nutritional supplements and treatments is ramping up over there is the Land of the Free (USA) Even an Amish farmer has been illeagally prosecuted by his State for supplying UNpasturized milk to members of a private buying club...

This is the country with the highest medicine prices in the world (AFAIK) and their regulatory body - the FDA - is merely a rubber-stamp for 'Industry' interests.

Does that put a differant light on the results ? -It does for me.

Overdosing on any medication or concentrated "natural" product has never been a smart idea...

Apologies for the ranting tone, but having to self-treat a condition that conventional medicine has (almost deliberately...) misled me about for over 20+ years, I'm not exactly their best mate...

Hi Ralph , I know from personal experiance how Cancer effects everyone in a family . Be posotive , advances in Cancer treatment are truely amazing , he'll be ok. The very best wishes your Dad and you family ..

Interesting you say that Superquag!
"Are we aware that the war on non-mainstream (ie, Big Pharma) nutritional supplements and treatments is ramping up over there"
I heard a comedian the other day remarking about how "natural" medicines were unacceptable until they became "medicines". That is, exactly the same treatment is a legitimate medicine when accepted by the big pharmaceutical companies and the doctors who prescribe them (possibly for some kind of "informal/ unknown/ untraceable" kickback). Acupunture used to be regarded as witchdoctery (that's a new word I think I just invented) as is chiropractic science judging by the medical fraternity's scathing attacks on it.

Ralph, sorry to diverge from your original thread - its been a year now, how is your old man? My old man had bowel cancer and lasted 8 years but it was very advanced when diagnosed. There's every chance your old man could go on kicking for years to come.
Yes,I agree with you about life being fair. My younger brother suicided at 22 years of age and I know the bible bashers will say that's a sin, but wait until it happens in their families. Is it a sin to have a mental illness or a disability?
It's not nice at all to see the mongrels in society lead happy and healthy lives when good people like your parents suffer from poor health.
That's another reason why I dislike criminals being glorified on TV and film - stuff like Underbelly glorifying the seediest, dirtiest mongrels who ever set foot on this planet.
Good health to you and yours Ralph - my thoughts are with you.
regards Gerald

Originally Posted by Davo

I think now it will have to be a point of honour that anyone who's posted on this thread now has to report back that they've been to the quack! I'm a typical guy who avoids doctors and it's woken me up.

^^
Like you Davo I've avoided doctors for many years, but I'm now sitting with all ten fingers and toes crossed after colonoscopy results show a large tumor and problems with my prostate

Hoping to see a specialist surgeon next week to discuss options.

Originally Posted by superquag

....

Who is Alan Kristal ? Who funded the study? who or what is the FH Cancer Research Center?...

Prof. Alan Kristal: http://sharedresources.fhcrc.org/pro...al-alan?page=1

Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center is a world-renowned nonprofit research organization working to improve the prevention, detection and treatment of cancer and related diseases. We are proud to be home to three Nobel laureates.

Who funded the study will be listed on the paper. The journal will not publish papers where a conflict of interest exists (e.g. funding source).

There is also recent work which has shown that fish oil may increase your risk of alzheimers/dementia. [and before you start with the conspiracy theories, no, the work was not funded by "big pharma"]


Ralph - how is your father doing now?