PCa Aggressiveness and Glycemic Levels at Surgery.

[pjoshea13]

New study from Brazil.

"Both Gleason score and primary Gleason grade were lower in hyperglycemic patients with prostate cancer than in normoglycemic patients, suggesting a "protective action" of hyperglycemic states."

Obviously, this is a blow to those who contine to believe that sugar feeds PCa, but (IMO) the conclusion is misleading.

In previous posts I argue that elevated insulin stimulates PCa growth (certainly not glucose). While hyperinsulinemia can have other causes, chronic hyperglycemia is what one thinks of. Why would hyperglycemia be protective if it causes hyperinsulinemia?

Hyperinsulinemia leads to insulin resistance & increased production of insulin. Ultimately, insulin-producing beta cells in the pancreas start to burn out & insulin levels begin to decline. & so, with hyperglycemia in a PCa population, we would expect to see a range of insulin levels - from very high to barely enough.

The study did not appear to exclude diabetics. I suspect that diabetic & near-diabetic men accounted for the protection.

There are health reasons to avoid sugar highs, but as Dr. Myers has noted, PCa isn't one of them. Except when sugar highs lead to insulin highs, IMO. & who would want to be diabetic?

-Patrick

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/291...

World J Oncol. 2013 Apr;4(2):87-94. doi: 10.4021/wjon664e. Epub 2013 May 6.

The Relationship Between Prostate Cancer Aggressiveness and Glycemic Levels in Patients Submitted to Radical Prostatectomy.

Goncalves SC1, de Moraes Siqueira R2, Nogueira MVF2, Pereira-Correia JA2, Vaz FP2, Peres WAF1.

Author information

1

Department of Nutritional Biochemistry, Faculty of Nutrition, Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Avenida Carlos Chagas Filho 373, Ilha do Fundao, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

2

Department of Urology, Servidores do Estado Federal Hospital, Rua Sacadura Cabral 120, Saude, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

The relationship between hyperglycemia and prostate cancer remains controversial. According to current hypotheses, elevated serum glucose levels may lead to disease development or disease prevention. Our study examined the potential correlation between pre-operative glycemic levels of patients with prostate cancer and the grade of tumor aggressiveness.

METHOD:

We studied the case files of patients with a diagnosis of prostate cancer who had received putatively curative cancer surgery at the Urology Department of the Servidores do Estado Federal Hospital (RJ/Brazil). We transcribed information related to glycemia - collected up to 3 months before the surgery - and the histopathological grade of tumor aggressiveness (Gleason score) of the surgically removed prostates.

RESULTS:

We analyzed 42 people who met the inclusion criteria. Based on Gleason scores, among the normoglycemic patients, we detected low, moderate, and highly aggressive neoplasias in 13%, 53%, and 36% of the cases, respectively. For the hyperglycemic group, these rates were 30%, 60%, and 10%, respectively. Normoglycemic patients had primary Gleason grade 3 in 40% of the cases and grade 4 in 60% of the cases. For the hyperglycemic patients, these rates were 90% and 10%, respectively (P < 0.05 vs. grade 3 group).

CONCLUSION:

Both Gleason score and primary Gleason grade were lower in hyperglycemic patients with prostate cancer than in normoglycemic patients, suggesting a "protective action" of hyperglycemic states.

KEYWORDS:

Gleason score; Hyperglycemia; Prostate cancer; Radical prostatectomy

PMID: 29147337 PMCID: PMC5649674 DOI: 10.4021/wjon664e

[Hidden]

I stopped drinking fizzy sugar water when my triglycerides were high and I was growing a belly. Several years later I develop PC. Would I have been better off had I neglected my health?

[pjoshea13 in reply to Hidden]

Possibly - if you had allowed yourself to become diabetic.

(Excuse the dark humor.)

-Patrick

[Hidden in reply to pjoshea13]

Mine was a facetious question, so I understand the response.