Happy that we switched my husband to soy products and nut milks.

[TNCanuck]

Milk and Other Dairy Foods in Relation to Prostate Cancer Recurrence | PracticeUpdate

practiceupdate.com/C/63863/...

[pjoshea13]

Earlier studies had linked 4 servings of skim milk to aggressive PCa. You get more growth-promoting IGF-I in skim, but 4 servings of whole milk has a lot too.

You also get more calcium in skim, & total calcium intake is another risk factor for aggressive disease.

I can't speak to the safety of "soy products and nut milks" in PCa - we are unlikely to see a study.

I take a little whole milk in my coffee. I doubt that it makes a difference to my PCa.

-Patrick

[snoraste in reply to pjoshea13]

Patrick-

Curious about calcium. I though we would be needing now more than ever.

[TNCanuck in reply to snoraste]

Definitely need more calcium, especially on hormone therapy. Docs have hubby on Calcium and D3 supplements.

[Mormon1 in reply to TNCanuck]

Dont take D3 without K2! google it. you want the calcium going to bones not arteries. please google it and decide. Even the pharacists dont know what k2 is.

[TNCanuck]

We all have to ultimately make our own decisions, and I'm supportive of all who do their own research and come to a different conclusion. But here's a quote from the article linked below:

"Because natural soy foods contain isoflavones, similar to estrogen, some people fear that soy may raise their risk for certain cancers. This is because estrogen is linked to hormonally-sensitive cancers like breast cancer.

But according to the American Cancer Society, when it comes to soy, isoflavones may act like estrogen, but they have anti-estrogen properties as well. Some studies even show that people who ate soy were less likely to get breast cancer.

“The current research does not support avoiding whole soy foods, even for cancer patients or survivors,” McKindley says."

mdanderson.org/publications...

[pjoshea13 in reply to TNCanuck]

In PCa & BCa studies, genistein has a biphasic effect: growth stimulating at physiological levels, but inhibiting at pharmacological levels.

-Patrick

[EdBar]

Not sure that it works that way in men, Dr. Myers and Now Dr. Sartor have me using estradiol patches daily to lessen HT side effects and to assist in healing sclerotic lesions left behind by bone mets. Myers also used the patches as another form of HT and has used them in patients as part of a regimen for guys in durable remission.

I've used soy milk for the past 4 years in order to avoid dairy, great source of protein and plant based of course. So far so good.

Ed

[jdm3]

I am in the midst of this discussion with my naturopathic oncologist. He is smart, well-read, and articulate and recommends soy (unprocessed, fermented mostly I think) and genistein as supplements. It still gives me pause because the words "phytoestrogens" and "estradiol" make my skin crawl, but I'm increasingly persuaded that soy may be beneficial. I say that with some trepidation and am still doing research and asking around, but I have yet to find anything convincing that it is harmful. I respect and value the "no soy" opinions in this discussion too so not sure how to reconcile all the information.

For what it's worth, I have copied some abstracts below provided to me by the doc. I don't think he will mind....

Applegate, C. C., et al. (2018). "Soy Consumption and the Risk of Prostate Cancer: An Updated Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis." Nutrients 10(1).

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, accounting for 15% of all cancers in men worldwide. Asian populations consume soy foods as part of a regular diet, which may contribute to the lower PCa incidence observed in these countries. This meta-analysis provides a comprehensive updated analysis that builds on previously published meta-analyses, demonstrating that soy foods and their isoflavones (genistein and daidzein) are associated with a lower risk of prostate carcinogenesis. Thirty articles were included for analysis of the potential impacts of soy food intake, isoflavone intake, and circulating isoflavone levels, on both primary and advanced PCa. Total soy food (p < 0.001), genistein (p = 0.008), daidzein (p = 0.018), and unfermented soy food (p < 0.001) intakes were significantly associated with a reduced risk of PCa. Fermented soy food intake, total isoflavone intake, and circulating isoflavones were not associated with PCa risk. Neither soy food intake nor circulating isoflavones were associated with advanced PCa risk, although very few studies currently exist to examine potential associations. Combined, this evidence from observational studies shows a statistically significant association between soy consumption and decreased PCa risk. Further studies are required to support soy consumption as a prophylactic dietary approach to reduce PCa carcinogenesis.

Bilir, B., et al. (2017). "Effects of genistein supplementation on genomewide DNA methylation and gene expression in patients with localized prostate cancer." Int J Oncol 51(1): 223-234.

Epidemiological studies have shown that dietary compounds have significant effects on prostate carcinogenesis. Among dietary agents, genistein, the major isoflavone in soybean, is of particular interest because high consumption of soy products has been associated with a low incidence of prostate cancer, suggesting a preventive role of genistein in prostate cancer. In spite of numerous studies to understand the effects of genistein on prostate cancer, the mechanisms of action have not been fully elucidated. We investigated the differences in methylation and gene expression levels of prostate specimens from a clinical trial of genistein supplementation prior to prostatectomy using Illumina HumanMethylation450 and Illumina HumanHT-12 v4 Expression BeadChip Microarrays. The present study was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blind clinical trial on Norwegian patients who received 30 mg genistein or placebo capsules daily for 3-6 weeks before prostatectomy. Gene expression changes were validated by quantitative PCR (qPCR). Whole genome methylation and expression profiling identified differentially methylated sites and expressed genes between placebo and genistein groups. Differentially regulated genes were involved in developmental processes, stem cell markers, proliferation and transcriptional regulation. Enrichment analysis suggested overall reduction in MYC activity and increased PTEN activity in genistein-treated patients. These findings highlight the effects of genistein on global changes in gene expression in prostate cancer and its effects on molecular pathways involved in prostate tumorigenesis.

Hackshaw-McGeagh, L. E., et al. (2015). "A systematic review of dietary, nutritional, and physical activity interventions for the prevention of prostate cancer progression and mortality." Cancer Causes Control 26(11): 1521-1550.

PURPOSE: Given the long-term, although potentially fatal, nature of prostate cancer, there is increasing observational evidence for the reduction in disease progression and mortality through changes in lifestyle factors. METHODS: We systematically reviewed dietary, nutritional, and physical activity randomized interventions aimed at modifying prostate cancer progression and disease-specific mortality, including a detailed assessment of risk of bias and methodological quality. RESULTS: Forty-four randomized controlled trials of lifestyle interventions, with prostate cancer progression or mortality outcomes, were identified. Substantial heterogeneity of the data prevented a meta-analysis. The included trials involved 3,418 prostate cancer patients, median 64 men per trial, from 13 countries. A trial of a nutritional supplement of pomegranate seed, green tea, broccoli, and turmeric; a trial comparing flaxseed, low-fat diet, flaxseed, and low-fat diet versus usual diet; and a trial supplementing soy, lycopene, selenium, and coenzyme Q10, all demonstrated beneficial effects. These trials were also assessed as having low risk of bias and high methodological quality (as were seven other trials with no evidence of benefit). The remaining trials were either underpowered, at high or unclear risk of bias, inadequately reported, of short duration or measured surrogate outcomes of unproven relationship to mortality or disease progression, which precluded any benefits reported being reliable. CONCLUSION: Large, well-designed randomized trials with clinical endpoints are recommended for lifestyle modification interventions.

Jarrard, D., et al. (2016). "Phase IIa, randomized placebo-controlled trial of single high dose cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) and daily Genistein (G-2535) versus double placebo in men with early stage prostate cancer undergoing prostatectomy." Am J Clin Exp Urol 4(2): 17-27.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVES: Prostate cancer (PCa) represents an important target for chemoprevention given its prolonged natural history and high prevalence. Epidemiologic and laboratory data suggest that vitamin D and genistein (soy isoflavone) may decrease PCa progression. The effect of vitamin D on prostate epithelial cell proliferation and differentiation is well documented and genistein may augment this affect through inhibition of the CYP24 enzyme, which is responsible for intracellular vitamin D metabolism. In addition, both genistein and vitamin D inhibit the intraprostatic synthesis of prostaglandin E2, an important mediator of inflammation. The objectives of this prospective multicenter trial were to compare prostate tissue calcitriol levels and down-stream related biomarkers in men with localized prostate cancer randomized to receive cholecalciferol and genistein versus placebo cholecalciferol and placebo genistein during the pre-prostatectomy period. METHODS: Men undergoing radical prostatectomy were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: (1) cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) 200,000 IU as one dose at study entry plus genistein (G-2535), 600 mg daily or (2) placebo cholecalciferol day 1 and placebo genistein PO daily for 21-28 days prior to radical prostatectomy. Serum and tissue analyses were performed and side-effects recorded. RESULTS: A total of 15 patients were enrolled, 8 in the placebo arm and 7 in the vitamin D3 + genistein (VD + G) arm. All patients were compliant and completed the study. No significant differences in side effect profiles were noted. Utilization of the VD + G trended toward increased calcitriol serum concentrations when compared to placebo (0.104 +/- 0.2 vs. 0.0013 +/- 0.08; p=0.08); however, prostate tissue levels did not increase. Calcidiol levels did not change (p=0.5). Immunohistochemistry for marker analyses using VECTRA automated quantitation revealed a increase in AR expression (p=0.04) and a trend toward increased TUNEL staining (p=0.1) in prostate cancer tissues in men randomized to receive VD + G compared to placebo. CONCLUSIONS: In this first study testing the combination of a single, large dose of cholecalciferol and daily genistein, the agents were well tolerated. While an increase in AR expression suggesting differentiation was observed, it is difficult to draw firm conclusions regarding the bioactivity of the combination given the sample size.

Kang, N. H., et al. (2016). "Soy milk digestion extract inhibits progression of prostate cancer cell growth via regulation of prostate cancerspecific antigen and cell cycle-regulatory genes in human LNCaP cancer cells." Mol Med Rep 14(2): 1809-1816.

Soy milk, which is produced from whole soybeans, contains a variety of biologically active components. Isoflavones are a class of soy-derived phytoestrogens with beneficial effects, among which genistein (GEN) has been previously indicated to reduce the risk of prostate cancer. The present study evaluated the effects of soy milk digestion extract (SMD) on the progression of prostate cancer via the estrogen receptor (ER)beta in human LNCaP prostate cancer cells. To evaluate the effects of SMD (daizein, 1.988 mg/100g, glycitein, 23.537 mg/100 g and GEN, 0.685 mg/100g) on cell proliferation, LNCaP cells were cultured in media containing vehicle (0.1% dimethyl sulfoxide), 17betaestradiol (E2; 2.7x107 mg/ml), GEN (2.7x10-2 mg/ml) of SMD (total aglycon concentration, 0.79 mg/ml), after which the cell viability was examined using an MTT assay. The cell viability was significantly elevated by E2 (by 45+/-0.18%), while it was markedly reduced by GEN (73.2+/-0.03%) or SMD (74.8+/-0.09%). Semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction analysis was performed to assess the mRNA expression levels of target genes, including ERbeta, prostate cancerspecific antigen (PSA) and cell cycle regulators p21, Cyclin D1 and cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK)4. The expression of ERbeta was almost completely diminished by E2, whereas it was significantly elevated by SMD. In addition, the expression levels of PSA were considerably reduced by SMD. The expression of p21 was significantly elevated by SMD, while it was markedly reduced by E2. Of note, the expression levels of Cyclin D1 and CDK4 were considerably elevated by E2, while being significantly reduced by GEN and SMD. All of these results indicated that SMD may inhibit the proliferation of human prostate cancer cells via regulating the expression of ERbeta, PSA, p21, Cyclin D1 and CDK4 in an ER-dependent manner.

Pavese, J. M., et al. (2014). "Genistein inhibits human prostate cancer cell detachment, invasion, and metastasis." Am J Clin Nutr.

Prostate cancer (PCa) is the most commonly diagnosed cancer in men in the United States and the second leading cause of cancer death. Death is not caused by the primary tumor but rather by the formation of distinct metastatic tumors. Therefore, prevention of metastasis is of utmost importance. The natural product genistein, found in high amounts in soy products, has been implicated in preventing PCa formation and metastasis in men who consume high amounts of soy. In vitro studies and in vivo rodent models that used human PCa cells, as well as prospective human clinical trials, provide a mechanistic explanation directly supporting genistein as an antimetastatic agent. Specifically, our group showed that genistein inhibits cell detachment, protease production, cell invasion, and human PCa metastasis at concentrations achieved in humans with dietary intake. Finally, phase I and phase II clinical trials conducted by us and others showed that concentrations of genistein associated with antimetastatic efficacy in preclinical models are achievable in humans, and treatment with genistein inhibits pathways that regulate metastatic transformation in human prostate tissue.

Zhang, M., et al. (2016). "Is phytoestrogen intake associated with decreased risk of prostate cancer? A systematic review of epidemiological studies based on 17,546 cases." Andrology 4(4): 745-756.

This study uses current epidemiological data to evaluate whether phytoestrogen intake is associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer. We performed a random-effect meta-analysis of published data retrieved from PubMed, Web of Science, ProQuest, and CNKI, which was supplemented by a manual search of relevant references. Study quality was assessed using the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale (NOS). Subgroup analysis and meta-regression were performed to explore the source of heterogeneity. Sensitivity analysis was evaluated to assess the stability of the results. Egger's test and funnel plots were used to detect the existence of publication bias. We retrieved 507 papers, and 29 studies were ultimately confirmed as eligible. The meta-analysis showed that phytoestrogen intake was significantly associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer, with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.77 (95% CI 0.66-0.88; I(2) = 77.6%). The food/nutritional sources that were significantly associated with a reduced risk of prostate cancer included soy and soy products, tofu, legumes, daidzein, and genistein. Subgroup analysis indicated that the associations were significant among Asians and Caucasians, but not among Africans. Meta-regression revealed that the pooled OR increased with the number of cases in the studies. The results might be affected by publication bias based on the Eggers' test (p = 0.011) and the asymmetry of the funnel plot. Phytoestrogen intake may reduce the risk of prostate cancer in Asians and Caucasians. Regular intake of food that is rich in phytoestrogens, such as soy/soy products or legumes, should be recommended.

[EdBar]

For those who are fans of Dr. Myers here's a link regarding estrogen, estradiol and their importance in men with advanced PCa.

askdrmyers.wordpress.com/20...

[Hidden]

More confused than ever, now. 61 year old RN, speaking...

[Hidden]

I couldn't read that content. I tried almond milk and had the worst constipation ever. Some research on that subject mentioned 'carrageenan' as the culprit. Just did some more research just now and found it could be in dairy products as well.

wholegreenlove.com/2013/04/...

[j-o-h-n]

I'll stick to breast milk....

Good Luck and Good Health.

j-o-h-n Wednesday 02/18/2018 2:29 PM EST

(Valentine's day)

[Darryl Partner]

Just in case you missed this: healthunlocked.com/prostate...

Prostate Cancer Caregiver Community Launches!

You have to take care care of yourself if you want to take care of the man in your life with prostate cancer. Our new community is a place to share strategies for all aspects caring. Emotional, medical, relationship issues, fear of impending grief, sex, love...everything that caregivers feel and think about, but may not feel comfortable discussing in a forum of men diagnosed with prostate cancer.

Please join at: healthunlocked.com/prostate...