Coincidentally ...

[pca2004]

.. a new study on CVD risk factors in men with PCa [1]:

"The Burden of Uncontrolled Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Men With Prostate Cancer: A RADICAL-PC Analysis"

The study found that most men with PCa have modifiable CVD risk factors.

Although the authors recognize that CVD risk is higher in men with PCa ("Cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence is higher in men with prostate cancer (PC) than without."), they do not hypothesise as to what the common thread might be.

{ - e.g. insulin resistance. When insulin resistance occurs in the pre-diabetic man, pancreatic beta cells work overtime to overcome the resistance - resulting in hyperinsulinemia. However, insulin is a growth hormone. At elevated levels it can act as a mitogen via the IGF-I receptor. Not only might insulin cause cancer, it can stimulate the growth rate of cancer cells.}

{Another new study [2]: "Insulin resistance in patients with cancer: a systematic review and meta-analysis" finds that cancer patients are "markedly insulin resistant". This leads to poorer survival. It is suggested that "ameliorating insulin resistance" might improve outcomes.}

Back to the top study:

"One-half (51%) of the participants had ≥3 cardiovascular risk factors poorly controlled. The mean of poorly controlled modifiable cardiovascular risk factors in the entire cohort was 2.5 ± 0.9 and was the same in those with and without pre-existing CVD."

"The main findings of this study are as follows: 1) most men with PC have poor control of multiple modifiable cardiovascular risk factors, and 2) not taking a statin, physical frailty, and the need for BP drug use were most strongly associated with poor cardiovascular risk factor control. Poor control of cardiovascular risk factors occurred regardless of a history of established CVD or use of ADT."

The outcome of the study was the identificaton of modifiable CVD risk factors where intervention might reduce CVD mortality.

Mark "Heart healthy is prostate healthy" Moyad would doubtless expect that an intervention designed to reduce CVD mortality would also reduce PCa mortality.

-Patrick

[1] jacc.org/doi/10.1016/j.jacc...

[2] tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10....

[JohnInTheMiddle]

And I just started on Metformin! 😃 And have been pushing increasing amounts of exercise. My Target in Fitbit language is 650 Zone Minutes a week. I've hit it a few times.

Oh, and I stayed on Degarelix ADT instead of switching to the supposedly more "convenient" Lupron. (See my comments elsewhere.)

Super thanks for sharing!

[maley2711]

Is need for BP drugs the same as high BP before use of BP drugs? So, just controlling BP is not enuf, correct? I woldn't consider that a modifiable risk factor, just as age is not a controllable risk factor!!

[pca2004 in reply to maley2711]

During Covid lockdown my blood pressure became erratic & I eventually needed Valsartan. But I recently wondered if my problem was caused by altered breathing. Shallow breathing due to a lack of physical activity.

If one is able to measure BP at home, try this: measure your baseline BP; take 6 deep breaths within 30 seconds and measure it again. This Japanese suggestion is supposed to lower BP. The implication being that improved breathing, rather than the 6 deep breaths exercise, might restore one's youthful BP. i.e. that BP might be modifiable.

-Patrick

[Cooolone]

Metabolism and all it's association and causation in regard to Prostate Cancer is an overlooked part of the treatment paradigm. Answer from oncologists is always, make an appointment with _________ specialist... So you do, but they aren't oncologists, lol. And some of them just don't get it either.

Here, take a pill for that... And the pill causes its own side effects. CVD a huge thing really, as is glucose control over time with ADT. With luck, you can find a doctor that's got familiarity with it all collectively and go from there. Ehhhh...

Just bouncing thoughts!

Best Regards