Prostate Cancer Concerns? Maybe cutting out the cheese makes sense

[marty]

Altern Med Rev. 1999 Jun;4(3):162-9. Related Articles, Links

An ecologic study of dietary links to prostate cancer.

Grant WB.

NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA, USA. wbgrant@norfolk.infi.net

BACKGROUND: The etiology of prostate cancer has not been fully resolved in the scientific and medical literature, although the non-fat portion of milk and calcium are emerging as leading dietary risk factors, with lycopene (found in tomatoes) and vitamin D apparently being risk reduction factors. METHODS: The ecologic (multi-country statistical) approach is used to study dietary links to prostate cancer. Mortality data from 1986 for various age groups in 41 countries are compared with national consumer macronutrient supply values for 1983 and tomato supply values for 1985. RESULTS: For 28 countries with more than five Kcal/day of tomatoes in the consumer supply, a linear combination of non-fat milk (risk factor) and tomatoes (risk reduction factor) was found to have the highest statistical association with prostate cancer mortality rates for men over the age of 35, with the Pearson regression coefficient (R2) for those aged 65-74 years = 0.67 and p < 0.001. For the 13 countries with fewer than six Kcal/day of tomatoes, non-fat milk had the highest association (R2 = 0.92, p < 0.001 for men aged 65-74 years). For 41 countries combined, the non-fat portion of milk had the highest association with prostate cancer mortality rates (R2 = 0.73, p < 0.001 for men aged 65-74 years). CONCLUSIONS: These results support the results of several cohort studies which found the non-fat portion of milk to have the highest association with prostate cancer, likely due to the calcium, and tomatoes to reduce the risk of prostate cancer, most likely due to lycopene.

PMID: 10383480 [PubMed - indexed for MEDLINE]



Still not convinced? http://chetday.com/prostatecancermilk.htm

[Rich_in_Tampa]

This study is what is known as a case control study. It is never sufficient for defining causation, just hypothesis generation. If it were statistically robust (I didn't analyze it from that perspective), the proper conclusion is that having prostate cancer is associated with an increased likelihood that you drank more milk -- not the other way around.

The lycopene protective effect has more clout with me - the original studies were cohort studies -- a stronger, forward-looking methodology

These kinds of studies are sometimes the best you can do when looking at issues such as diet and disease for lots of practical reasons.

Besides, I don't see how "cutting the cheese" all the time would eliminate anything except the number of friends you have. Oh.. sorry, my mistake -- you said cutting out the cheese.

[Ed_The_Gypsy]

I just warned a newbie about the bad jokes here.

BTW, colonoscopy earlier this morning. (Think: "Fantastic Voyage".) All I could think about was an episode of "All Creatures Great and Small" having to do with a farmer, his horse and a bunch of onions. The horse died. :P I won't.

[lazygood4nothinbum]

i drink lots of non-fat milk and whey protein shakes & i love cheese but also i eat tons of tomatoes. i love spanish omelettes & pasta dishes and tomato sandwiches. and what happens when i eat a grilled cheese sandwich with sliced tomato? do they just cancel themselves out? when did lunch get this complicated?

[Peaceful_Warrior]

I drink tons of non-fat milk as well. Just take lots of vitamins/antioxidants/supplements and call it a day!

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum

i drink lots of non-fat milk and whey protein shakes & i love cheese but also i eat tons of tomatoes. i love spanish omelettes & pasta dishes and tomato sandwiches. and what happens when i eat a grilled cheese sandwich with sliced tomato? do they just cancel themselves out? when did lunch get this complicated?

[Nords]

Originally Posted by lazygood4nothinbum

and what happens when i eat a grilled cheese sandwich with sliced tomato? do they just cancel themselves out? when did lunch get this complicated?

I guess it depends on whether you ate it on Wonder Bread, whole wheat, or in a tortilla.

With extra peppers.

And palm extract.

[lazygood4nothinbum]

Originally Posted by Nords

I guess it depends on whether you ate it on Wonder Bread, whole wheat, or in a tortilla.

With extra peppers.

And palm extract.

multi-grain, of course. though my evil friend did just bring buy a delicious holiday loaf of sourdough for me, asking in proper form before presenting his gift, if this was on my rather large list of unacceptable poisons.

i drink water nonstop; always have a bottle with me. and love love love bread. i think i must have spent my last life in jail.