A German study has been published that shows previous hormone therapy use appears to be a factor increasing survival in women with breast cancer. It’s speculated that hormone therapy prevents bone metastases (the spread of disease from one organ to another). The 1072 breast cancer patients who were studied were divided into 3 groups; premenopausal, post-menopausal with previous hormone therapy use, and post-menopausal with no hormone therapy use. The authors of the study found that previous hormone therapy users had significantly higher rates of survival after breast cancer than nonusers-the 5 year survival rate for previous HRT patients was 92.8% versus 82.2% for non-HRT users.
It’s important to keep up-to-date on the latest research-your health may depend on it. Ask your physician what the latest findings mean to you.
Who needs a PSA and prostate exam? You do, if you are male and over the age of 40. Over 26,000 men died in 2006 from prostate cancer. 1 in every 6 American men will develop prostate cancer at some point in their lives. Fortunately, if prostate cancer is detected during a routine yearly exam, it will likely be at an early, treatable stage.
A digital rectal examination (usually called a prostate exam) is a quick exam done at your annual physical. The prostate exam can detect growths or enlargement of the prostate gland. It is only a screening however, your physician cannot diagnose cancer strictly from a prostate exam. If problems are felt, your physician will likely order other tests such as: a colonoscopy, sigmoidoscopy, fecal occult blood test, or a barium enema. Your physician should order a blood test known as a PSA (prostate-specific antigen) as well. If cancer is suspected after these tests, physicians may order a prostate biopsy to provide a final ,accurate diagnosis.
The PSA is a protein produced by the prostate cells. It is sometimes referred to as a “tumor marker” because enlargement of the prostate, tumors and cancers will cause the levels to increase in your blood. Benign conditions such as inflammation can also cause PSA levels to go up, but when used in conjuction with the prostate exam, PSA tests can be helpful in detecting cancers and pre-cancerous changes in the prostate. Researchers are continuously studying PSA and updating the tests to make them more accurate and meaningful. However, it can be hard to determine how fast a tumor will grow and whether it is cancerous or benign.
It is important to take responsibility for your own health-get regular screenings that can detect problems before they are fatal, and take a few moments to research new technology and findings. Tests and treatments are constantly improving-is your doctor up to date?
DHEA is a hormone that most people aren’t even aware of. It’s name doesn’t translate well in the news stories (dehydroepiandrosterone) and it’s a little more complicated than estrogen or testosterone. However, it is a vitally important hormone that protects the body against the ravages of aging.
DHEA is a precursory building block that allows our bodies to create various sex hormones such as estrogen and testosterone. A deficiency of DHEA has been linked to:
- Chronic inflammation
- immune dysfunction
- Depression
- Rheumatoid arthritis
- Type II diabetic complications
- A greater risk for certain cancers
- Excess body fat
- Cognitive decline
- Heart disease in men
- Osteoporosis
DHEA levels begin to decline from 25 years of age and may have dropped 95% by the age of 85. Many of the common complaints of aging can be alleviated by DHEA replacement therapy. In the proper dosing, DHEA replacement can produce great results. A few benefits to consider:
- It suppresses inflammatory cytokines which cause or contribute to Rheumatoid arthritis.
- It fights viruses and infection by preventing activation of the virus and dropping cortisol levels.
- It improves neurological function, elevates IGF-1 (insulin growth factor), protects against heart disease and atherosclerosis.
- It has been known since the 1950’s to be an effective anti-depressant. Since it converts to estrogen and testosterone in the body, DHEA can be an effective tool in regulating mood.
- DHEA may be effective in preventing and treating certain cancers. It has been shown to inhibit tumor proliferation and block the binding of carcinogens to the cells.
- It protects your brain against age-associated atrophy.
- It protects your skin from everyday damage and helps it heal from injury.
- DHEA maintains your immune system
Maintaining optimal levels of DHEA can help restore your health to strong, youthful levels and prevent many long-term problems associated with aging. However, DHEA is a powerful hormone and shouldn’t be taken without your physician’s advice. Your doctor can check your DHEA-S levels in your blood and determine if you would benefit from DHEA and if so, how much would be appropriate for you.