Thread: Prostate Cancer and Vitamin D......

Vitamin D Protects Cells from Free Radical Stress That Can Lead to Cancer


by University of Rochester (NY) Medical Center May 24, 2008

“Our findings… demonstrate that vitamin D not only can be used as a therapy for prostate cancer, it can prevent prostate cancer from happening.” – Y Lee, et al.

By inducing a specific gene to increase expression of a key enzyme, vitamin D protects healthy prostate cells from the damage and injuries that can lead to cancer, University of Rochester Medical Center researchers report.

“Many epidemiological studies have suggested the beneficial properties of vitamin D,” said Yi-Fen Lee, PhD, associate professor of urology at the Medical Center who led the research. “Our findings reflect what we see in those studies and demonstrate that vitamin D not only can be used as a therapy for prostate cancer,1 it can prevent prostate cancer from happening.”

The International Journal of Cancer published the findings2 in its June 15, 2008 issue. Dr. Yi-Fen Lee and her research team discovere d one mechanism involving vitamin D that protects cells from oxidative stress. The vitamin D used in the study is 1,25-hydroxylvitamin D3 [vitamin D3, commonly referred to as vitamin D], the most potent and active form of vitamin D in the human body. Nonmalignant human prostate epithelial [lining] cells also were used.

High Levels of Free Radicals May Promote Cancer

Normal metabolism in cells generates reactive oxygen species (ROS), molecules of peroxide, for example, or so-called free radicals. These substances can play a role in cell signaling and even kill bacteria. Exposure to some chemicals or forms of radiation can produce high levels of ROS that can damage DNA and play a significant role in speeding aging or causing cancer.

Vitamin D Boosts Healthy-Cell-Protecting Enzyme

Lee found that vitamin D links with a gene known as G6PD, increasing its activity and the production of an enzyme called glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase. Increased activi ty of the enzyme clears cells of ROS, the molecules that can damage and injure cells.

“If you reduce DNA damage, you reduce the risk of cancer or aging,” Lee said. “Our study adds one more beneficial effect of taking a vitamin D supplement. Taking a supplement is especially important for senior citizens and others who might have less circulation of vitamin D, and for people who live and work areas where there is less sunshine.” Large amounts of vitamin D should not be taken without medical supervision, she said.

The G6PD pathway is one of the mechanisms vitamin D uses, Lee said. The researchers did not find any similar activity in prostate cancer cells. “Vitamin D does not protect cancer cells from injury or damage, which is good,” Lee said.

(So get out there into the Sun Chums)

Mushrooms - best way to get VD

or vitamin D

^ what else is rich in vitamin d
not a big fan of popping pills to get my vitamins

^ some cold water seafish i think like cod, herrings not 100% on the facts

Vitamin D

This place has a good article and a lot of background. The selected food list for Vitamin D includes,
Cod liver oil
Cooked Salmon
Makerel
Sardines
Milk and egg yolk.
Having too much, in your system, is just as bad as not having enough.

Originally Posted by justwingit

^ what else is rich in vitamin d
not a big fan of popping pills to get my vitamins

Get out into the Sun for a little while daily. The Sun on your skin produces Vitamin D naturally.

i knew this was a luckydog thread before i even opened it. Mate, how many different tablets do you have to take a day for different conditions just to keep yourself alive?

I think Ray Carey has prostate cancer, or was it a ruptured Colon?? hell I don't remember which, but something up there, or about something being up there.
Aw hell with it, not my problem. 555

Originally Posted by Loombucket

Vitamin D

This place has a good article and a lot of background. The selected food list for Vitamin D includes,
Cod liver oil
Cooked Salmon
Makerel
Sardines
Milk and egg yolk.
Having too much, in your system, is just as bad as not having enough.

Ignorant question, but I'm serious.

Is the vitamin D we get from the sun, the same as the Vitamin D in these foods?

The sun acts as a catalyst for the body's vitamin D absorption, from foods you've eaten.

Originally Posted by kingwilly

i knew this was a luckydog thread before i even opened it. Mate, how many different tablets do you have to take a day for different conditions just to keep yourself alive?

My 'caring' artlcles are not for the likes of YOU, KW.

They are for the benefit of the many NICE people here on TD.

Nothing would please me more than to be on your IGNORE LIST!

So shut your great big Cake 'ole!

"Just something I found on another board out there. Someone may be interested in this someday as we are all going over the hill...actually some of us are already rolling down the other side

In July of 2002 I had a positive biopsy for prostate cancer. I have had NO treatments for it by any one. I have self treated and managed it with the help of my family doctor (an internist) who is OK with my making a appointment for a PSA test when I want one. [The "standard of care" is a PSA test every three months, for ever, after you have positive prostate cancer.]

I started following PP/PPLP in February of 2002. About the same time I learned of a fellow where I worked that had PC and had become a spokesperson trying to get other men to have their PSA checked. I called him when I got my report. He told me several supplements to start taking and said to research on the web, which I did. By December of 2002, my PSA had dropped back to 2.5 from 5.6 the year before and 5.2 after the biopsy report.

So I am now six years out and my PSA is still down. It jumps around as it would if you were testing more often, as I am. But every time it is up it will then go down, if not the next test then the one following. So I have finally decided that I have it in remission, if not completely knocked out.

I have done a lot of thinking about why this has happened, as well as a lot of study in that first year. Two things seem to be the reason for how things turned out. First is the reduction on my carbohydrates consumption to less than 20% of what I had been eating. That this then weakened the cancer is consistent with the Warburg effect - Wikipedia Link. Then the supplements, chosen for some indication of anti-cancer properties, finished killing the cancer. My approach was, "When you are fighting an enemy that wants to kill you, you don't just use one of the weapons at your disposal. You use EVERYTHING you have, including the kitchen sink and office safe, if you can lift them to throw."

In the prostate cancer support group I attend, one of the things we emphatically tell the "new guys" is, "you MUST be your own advocate!" For the best outcome, you need to be fully involved in the decisions about YOUR treatment. DO NOT let yourself become "just another" piece of "meat" for the surgeon to work on. I hope that you have access to some sort of support group of people that also have or had cancer. Find them and use them for the support they have to offer. I am just a little too far away AND I did not have bowel cancer. I can comment on cancer in general but you also need to learn from others specifically about your cancer.

I hope you have BOTH and oncologist (cancer specialist) as well as the surgeon that diagnosed you. Often one is unaware of the recent advances in the field of the other. I would "test" (interview) them to see how open they are to various treatments that could be called alternative or experimental. Find out what tests/markers for the progression of the cancer they can use to see how the treatment is doing. I don't know for bowel cancer but for prostate cancer there is chance that the cancer has metastasized. That is why once diagnosed you needed to be checked every three months until you die - of something else we hope. I hope you have good doctors that are willing to work WITH you. But if they are not, time to get another.

Use the internet to learn as much as you can. Word of caution, put the most faith in sites that have .edu .org .gov as the ending of the URL, avoid the .com's as too many are just trying to make money. It will be confusing at first but starting at pubmed.gov will give you access to most of the leading journal abstracts (summary of the paper) and allows you to search for specific topics, authors, etc. Here is a web page I suggest you read. You should also read the other things there on cancer.

If I were at the beginning of of my "journey", as we say in the support group, I would do the following. Get tested for my blood serum copper and zinc as well as my vitamin D levels. Here is a paper that has in it a section on the role of copper in cancer growth. Since I could not get the drug used in the paper, I just took zinc since it "competes with copper for uptake" in the gut, but I also monitored my copper levels to be sure they did not get too low since that can have very bad results. And here is a page I wrote "back then" with a bunch of links about copper and sugar (carbs).

I was twenty (and my sister was sixteen) when my Father died from prostate cancer. I am now 70 and still cannot keep my eyes dry when I talk about it. I pray that your children are MUCH older when your husband finally dies, as we all will."


This link also was listed later..

ScienceDirect - Cancer Cell : A Mitochondria-K+ Channel Axis Is Suppressed in Cancer and Its Normalization Promotes Apoptosis and Inhibits Cancer Growth

My older brother was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had his prostate surgically removed. That was 8 years ago and he remains fit and well and cancer free.

Following his news I started to have regular PSA blood tests which did show a steady rise. Eventually the consultant suggestive biopsies to check out the prostate. At the second go they found a low level of the less aggressive form of prostate cancer, which was still enclosed in the capsule. That was good luck!

After one abortive robotic prostatectomy (the Da Vinci machine failed after a couple of hours) the consultant suggested I continue to monitor my PSA levels on a regular basis; a doubling of the level over a 6 month period would signal a dangerous increase in the cancers activity and thus further intervention.

In an attempt to slow down the cancer I was advised to add to my diet some of the following - cooked tomatoes (for the lycopene), green china tea, selenium and zinc, green vegetables galore! No problem here in Thailand. The result is that over a couple of years the PSA level has slowly gone down from around 8 to just over 5. So is it the dietary change that has done the trick? Not sure - but I am quite happy to carry on eating like this and regularly checking the PSA level (just 300 THB at the local hospital). And at least I have avoided the dreaded surgical complications of potential incontinence and impotence!