The outcomes of this latest study indicate that as male infertility could be a recognizable risk factor in case of prostate cancer, hence early screening is imperative in such a scenario.

Analysis that focused on how many offspring a man can bear have hinted towards a man’s fertility potential correlated to risk of developing prostate cancer.

But, several researches on the matter have only produced contradictory outcomes: a number of studies have suggested that males having offspring were at a greater risk of developing prostate cancer as compared to man who has no children. Several other studies have indicated that males having lesser offspring were more at risk of developing prostate cancer as compared to those men having more offspring. There were other studies which were unable to recognize any link in-between a man fathering a number of offspring and his risk of developing prostate cancer.

One of the study authors, Dr. Thomas Walsh from the Univ. of Washington, Seattle, stated that since the number of brood a male has might not precisely be reflective of his capability of causing a conception, hence their research team created a more precise study for evaluating the link in-between male infertility and prostate cancer risk. The research team analysed prostate cancer risk in a set of 22,562 males assessed for childlessness in the years 1967-1998 across fifteen infertility clinics in California. A comparison was drawn between prevalence of prostate cancer in such males with prevalence of prostate cancer in a sample of males in the broad populace that were in the same age group and came from analogous geographical places.

The study team were able to spot 168 prostate cancer cases among males that were assessed for childlessness. This figure was not extensively diverse from the anticipated rate of 185 prostate cancer cases, indicating that taken as a whole; males assessed for childlessness were not at a greater risk of being identified with any form of prostate cancer contrasted with males in the broad populace. But, males that were assessed and identified to have infertility issues had a 2.6 times greater likelihood of being detected with high grade type of prostate cancer that has a rapid growth and spread as compared to males who were assessed but were not diagnosed with infertility.

Study authors have stated that in case such outcomes are substantiated in further researches then it could be apposite for childless males to be taken into consideration for getting screened early on, due to the identified greater risk they have for a belligerent type of prostate cancer. They further added that outcomes of this study ought to fuel researches on the likely prevalent biological paths underlying childlessness and prostate cancer.

The study conducted by Thomas Kodadek, a professor in the Chemistry and Cancer Biology Departments, Scripps Florida, and associates was printed in the ‘Chemistry & Biology’ Journal.

In the novel study, Kodadek and his associates utilised samples taken from an animal model of MS for screening for T cells – a kind of white blood cell that dons fundamental role in the immune system – with an increasing presence in the ailment. The screen additionally recognized molecules that interfered with such T cells’ auto-reactive nature or their assault on the body itself instead of a foreign intruder like a virus or bacteria.

Kodadek stated that their method concurrently unearths and separates auto-reactive T cells along with inhibitors to them. A dual achievement at the core of which is a relative screening procedure of healthy T cells vs. Disease-causative T cells. Even as the process is technically complex and intricate, the thought behind it is not. The scientists intended to make the process of recognizing compounds simpler that could hinder auto-reactive T cells with outstanding specificity and the scientists were able to accomplish their objective.

The scientists employed a model of MS – an autoimmune inflammatory condition that affects the brain and the spinal cord for the study. MS is a condition wherein the immune system assaults the myelin sheath coating and defensive nerve cells that lead to a host of symptoms dependent on what component of the nervous system has been affected. Prevalent signs of the condition involve weariness, numbing sensation; difficulties experienced in walking balancing and co-ordination; dysfunctional bladder and bowel; ocular problems; giddiness and vertigo; sexual dysfunction problems; pain, mental problems; emotional variations and spastic behaviours.

Simplification of the Process

Kodadek and his associates set up the novel method for shedding light on these autoimmune diseases and other kinds of disorders and produced a vast assortment of peptoids –molecules linked to, though more constant as compared to the peptides which made up the proteins. By organizing thousands of the peptides microscopically, the prototype of binding antibodies (a form of autoimmune molecule) and peptoids could be pictured. By observing samples drawn from animal models of an identified disease such as MS, peptoids which exhibited binding to antibodies closely linked with that disease could be easily identified.

Even better, peptoids which showed binding to the autoreactive T cells could be spotted with no awareness of the particular antigen (molecules that elicit the immune assault), offering an impartial approach with which to explore potentially beneficial compounds.

Kodadek stated that they had made a breakthrough where they set up a system that identifies T cell receptors which are copious in an ailing animal and in sapped levels in a healthy animal.

Potential for Curative Breakthrough

The novel process created a novel potential for curative finding. Molecules that targeted auto-reactive T cells in a direct way, while overlooking those T cells that identify foreign antigens, could provide the basis for a new drug development program intended at elimination of autoreactive cells with no affect on the normal functioning of the immune system.

Kodadek stated that the novel study is not the ultimate solution as it employed a model of MS elicited by a sole antigen whereas in human beings there could be 2 to even more antigens that trigger an autoimmune disease like MS that needs further investigation. The method could be applicable with ease to blood cancers, although as the disease-causative T cells have been completely characterized and there being quite a few of them.

Nonetheless, as it is still breast tissue, there are chances that men could develop breast cancer. Factually, men are known to develop similar kinds of breast cancers as women, though cancers associated with the milk production and storage areas of the breast are quite atypical. The American Cancer Society has given an estimate of nearly 2,300 male breast cancer cases that were detected in 2009.

Male Breast Cancer cases unheard of in comparison to Female Breast Cancer

Male breast cancers are quite a rare occurrence probably due to the lesser amounts of breast tissues and because men secrete lesser estrogen levels – a hormone identified that leads to female breast cancer.

In actuality, a mere one among one hundred breast cancers is known to inflict men and just about ten men among a million would develop breast cancer.

Which Men Are More Prone to Developing Breast Cancer

Men below the age of 35 years are rarely noted to develop breast cancer, though the chances of developing the disease is directly proportional to age, with the majority cited cases lying in the age band of 60-70 years. A family past of breast cancer noted in a close woman relative and having been exposed to radiation in the chest region during the past, might additionally raise the likelihood.

The sharpest risk of developing breast cancer have been observed amongst men that have had an irregular breast swelling or enlargement (gynecomastia) due to reaction to some form of drug intake or hormonal treatments, or also due to some form of infections and poisons. Men with an atypical genetic disease known as Klinefelter’s syndrome – that mostly have gynecomastia due to the presence of the syndrome, are particularly at greater risk of developing breast cancer. Men having severe liver ailment have a tendency of having lesser levels of male hormones or androgens and elevated levels of female hormones or estrogens, that puts them in raised likelihood of developing gynecomastia and eventually breast cancer. Additionally, diseases that affect the testicles like mumps orchites, an injury or a non-descended testicle raises the chances of male breast cancer.

The Severity of Male Breast Cancers

Doctors earlier thought that male breast cancer had a greater severity as compared to female breast cancers, though it presently appears that for analogously late stages of breast cancers, both the sexes would have similar results.

The main issue is that male breast cancer is mostly detected much later as compared to female breast cancers as men are less likely to be chary of an irregularity in that aspect. Additionally, their lesser amounts of breast tissue makes it trickier to palpate and hence detect such cancers early, and thus tumors get freeway to rapidly proliferate to the adjacent tissues.

Deciphering Symptoms of Male Breast Cancer

Male breast cancer symptoms are much alike those noted in women. Majority of men are diagnosed with breast cancers when they detect a lump in the chest. However, contrary to women, men are likely to seek medical assistance only when they are faced with grave symptoms that mostly involve nipples bleeding and irregularities noted in the skin located above the cancer. In a huge populace of men, the cancer has till then already proliferated, reaching the lymph nodes.

Diagnosis of Male Breast Cancer

The similar testing procedures that are conducted on women are carried on men too, i.e., physical examination, mammogram, biopsy (microscopic analysis of the tiny tissue sample).

The treatment is also alike those used on women –such as surgical intervention, radiation, chemotherapy and hormones. However, the key difference is that male breast cancer cases tend to have better response rate when compared to women. This is because several breast cancers possess hormone receptors on the cancer cells where particular hormones such as estrogen could act upon. Men are known to have more likelihood of the presence of these receptors as compared to women, due to which they respond better to treatments than women.

The scientists from Belgium and Germany behind the development of these tests scrutinized for genetic fingerprinting of tumor formations that might be present in the blood. One test could even aid in forecasting if there is a likelihood of the cancer spreading.

During the joint meeting of the European Cancer Organisation or ECCO and the European Society for Medical Oncology where the tests were illustrated, Mr. Alexander Eggermont, MD, heading the surgical oncology department at the Erasmus University Medical Center, Netherlands elucidated that the tests might aid in filling the requirement for more expedient means of cancer screening.

With the stark statistics of one among seventeen individuals that would get colorectal cancer during the lifetime, makes this disease the second foremost cancer slayer in the United States and Europe.

The mortality chances are lowered when the disease is detected early on, when it could be treated. However, many individuals spurn away from present testing methods like colonoscopy and stool sample diagnosis, dubbing them as invasive or simply too repugnant.

Joost Louwagie, PhD, from the OncoMethylome Sciences, Liege, Belgium who is developing one of the tests, had drawn blood samples from 193 patients that have to go in for surgical invention to treat colorectal cancer and from 688 patients that had to undergo colonoscopy.

The researchers were on the lookout for the genes namely SYNE1 and FOXE1 that have been associated to tumor formations. They detected a major concentration of these genes among colorectal patients, with the same genes occurring uncommonly among those patients without cancer.

On the whole, the test accurately detected fifty to sixty percent cancer cases and precisely detected greater than ninety percent of individuals with no cancer. The researchers pointed out that the test performed even better in those persons with preliminary stage of colon cancer.

As soon as it gains validation, the novel methylation test could be useful in as a non-invasive means of cancer screening choice in those patients that refuse or don’t have access to colonoscopy or don’t want to undergo the fecal occult blood testing.

The blood sample could be drawn by staffs that do not need high specialisation which leads to greater rates of patient conformity.

The second test that was created by Ulrike Stein, PhD, from the ECRC Charite University of Medicine, Berlin, and his associates looked for cancers of the colon, rectum or gastric-related. The test is based on the genetic fingerprinting, S100A4, that has been associated to the tumors developing and proliferating.

The scientists reviewed day-to-day samples taken from 185 persons having colon cancer, 190 persons having rectal cancer, 51 patients with gastric cancer and 51 healthy candidates. The researchers detected that the gene S100A4 was noted in majorly elevated levels in the set of cancer patients irrespective of which form of cancer they had, than in the healthy control group. These levels were noted to be even greater in those patients in whom the cancer had proliferated.

Originally founded by Dr. Frederic E. Mohs, the Mohs procedure is the top-of-the-line treatment that has seen perennial improvement and fine-tuning since the past seven decades. Using the Mohs technique, surgeons are able to view past the discernible disease, to accurately detect and extract the complete tumor one layer at a time, while causing no damage or marring to the adjacent healthy tissue. This sophisticated and specific means of tumor eradication lowers the likelihood of relapse and diminishes the probability of scar formations or defacement.

With an impressive success rate of nearly 99% far surpassing any skin cancer treatments, the Mohs surgery is conducted by a doctor who has undergone specific training in surgery, pathology and reconstructive procedures.

Mohs surgery is additionally the preferred line of treatment for cancers that affect the facial tissue and other sensitive locations on the body as it is reliant on the exactness of a microscopic surgical method for tracing the perimeters of the cancer spread and ascertains total eradication of all tumors till the root level during the course of the surgery.

The Procedure Followed and Post-Surgery Care

The Mohs surgery is normally conducted on an outpatient basis in the doctor’s office. Usually, the procedure commences in the early hours of the morning time and concluded during the same day, dependent on the type of tumor and the level of reconstruction needed. The patient is conscious during the entire procedure that is carried out under the influence of local anesthesia that is given in the area encasing the tumor.

The surgeon would mostly carry out the needed reconstruction to mend the wound. When the dubious area is deemed free of cancer, the Mohs surgeon would discuss post-operative choices like:

• A smallish, uncomplicated wound would be allowed to self-heal.
• A comparatively large sized wound might be sutured.
• Larger sized wounds might need a skin grafting procedure or a flap.
• For tumors that are quite large sized, the help of another surgeon would be called in to aid in the reconstruction.

Regular post-operative follow-ups are crucial in order to keep tabs on the patient’s level of improvement and to watch out for any likely cancer relapse. As 2 in 5 patients with skin cancer re-develop it in a span of 5 years, follow-ups is vital for prompt diagnosis of new and dubious lesions.

Costing

It is evident from all studies conducted that Mohs surgery is far more pricey and costlier than pure ablation methods or clinic-based removals.

The surgery is conducted through small incisions made in the abdomen that act as access points for the robotic arms that decipher the surgeon’s every hand movement into fine and highly accurate action. This surgery requires an extremely agile and specifically trained doctor to carry out the procedure.

The key objective of open or laparoscopic surgery is the overall removal of all the cancer present that at times would translate to removal of the prostate along with the tissues that surround it. This course of action includes the removal of the cluster of nerves that are interconnected to the penis that has an adverse bearing on the man’s ability in achieving erection. Certain tumors could be eliminated by a nerve-sparing procedure that involves cautiously incising in the area surrounding the nerves without causing any damage to them. The nerve sparing method at times helps in preserving the ability of getting an erection.

Post-Surgery What to Anticipate

Prostatectomy generally needs to be carried under general anesthesia and subsequently, the patient would need to stay hospitalised for nearly two to four days. A fine, pliable tube known as catheter is generally left in the bladder for facilitating urine drainage for a time period of one to three weeks. The doctor would provide information on the independent usage and maintenance of the catheter when one goes back home. Bladder control could be hampered during the initial few months following catheter removal.

Though prostatectomy mostly eradicates all cancerous growths, it is crucial to follow up with the doctor as that could help in timely diagnosis and treatment if the cancer relapses. The regular follow-up routine might comprise of:

• Physical examinations.
• PSA or Prostate-specific antigen tests for keeping track of the PSA levels and measuring the rate of any alterations in those levels. Men in good health exhibit low levels of PSA in the blood. The PSA in the blood usually surges due to prostate enlargement that is directly proportional to age. At times occurrence of a wound, undergoing a digital rectal examination or ejaculation following sexual activity also temporarily increases PSA levels.
• DRE or Digital (finger) Rectal Examination is carried out to diagnose for problems in the organs of the pelvic region and lower abdomen to check for prostate cancer in men.
• A prostate gland biopsy is a test done to check for lumps in the prostate gland or to detect the cause of the elevated PSA levels in the blood.

Radical prostatectomy is mostly conducted when test outcomes depict that the spread of cancer has not proliferated beyond the perimeters of the prostate, i.e., it is still in stages I and II.

Mostly, laparoscopic surgery is manually conducted, though there are certain doctors that perform the surgery by employing the usage of guiding robotic arms that clutch the tools needed during surgery. This is known as robot-aided prostatectomy.

Open Surgery

During open surgery, a fine slit is made by the surgeon in order to facilitate easy access to the prostate gland. As the case demands, the slit is done on either the lower abdomen or the groin area in between the anus and scrotum.

In the widely employed retropubic approach used during radical prostatectomy, the cut is done on the lower abdomen. During the course of the procedure, the surgeon additionally removes the lymph nodes in the location to be sent for cancer testing.

In the perineal approach, the incision is done in the groin area. The recuperative period following this surgery might be shorter as compared to the retropubic approach. In order to remove the lymph nodes for cancer testing, the doctor would need to make a separate cut in order to do it. If the outcome of the PSA test and based on the cancer grade, if the lymph nodes are detected to be cancer-free, the surgeon would not remove the lymph nodes.

Laparoscopic Surgery

During this form of surgery, there are many small-sized slits made in the abdominal area by the surgeon. A laparoscope which is an illuminated viewing apparatus is introduced through one of those incisions. The surgeon would then employ specialised instruments to gain access and take out the prostate through the other slits that were made.

Those men operated by laparoscopic surgery have lesser bleeding during the surgery and swifter recovery rates as compared to those men that had open surgery. Laparoscopic prostatectomy is still not commonly available and as it is a rather novel technique and the outcome derived from long lasting follow-ups, subsequent to treatment are not yet obtainable.

Scientists investigated results amongst elderly men over 65 years detected with localised prostate cancer subsequent to being introduced to PSA or Prostate Cancer Screening. The mortality rates due to prostate cancer with a decade of identification amongst men that did not undergo surgery or radiation was seen between 2-6% during the 1990’s.

The mortality rates in elderly men in analogous age bracket and disease features, was seen to be 15-23% in those that decided not to undergo these treatments during the time spans prior to the introduction of the PSA testing.

After PSA testing was introduced as a screening device since the later part of 1980, there have been drastic variations with greater number of diagnosis in patients with early stage cancers.

However, cynics beg to differ by stating that PSA testing has saved fewer lives but has led to unwanted treatment for a huge populace of men. Latest studies have shown to back this claim.

The latest study that was seen in Wednesday’s publication of ‘The Journal of the American Medical Association’ incorporated those elderly men having early prostate cancer that firstly opted for active supervision also called watchful waiting – rather than undergoing surgery or radiation.

In comparison to men detected prior the PSA period, those that chose for active surveillance during the years 1992 and 2002 were noted to have a 60-70% less likelihood of death due to the disease within ten years of detection.

Grace L. Lu-Yao, Ph D, the scientist involved in this study states that active surveillance is a viable choice for elderly men having localised disease, though quite a few men opt for it. She further added that the knee jerk reaction when they are diagnosed with cancer is to rush to do some kind of treatment for it.

According to a particular estimation, lesser than ten percent who opted for active surveillance, make a decision to skip or postpone treatment involving surgery or radiation.

Lu-Yao stated that it is becoming more apparent that this approach might be favourable rather than the remedial treatment in elderly and younger men with health situations that had a mortal likelihood prior to the gradual-progressing cancer does.

The study undertaken diagnosed elderly men whose age averaged 78 years with early-stage prostate cancers and none having undergone surgery or radiation within the time span of six months following diagnosis.

Lu-Yao alongside other associates scrutinised results amongst men that were followed for a median of 8.3years. Men that had early-stage prostate cancer, superior to near moderate diagnosis disease were 6 times more prone to expire due to some other reason other than their prostate cancer.

The mortality rate due to prostate cancer within ten years of diagnosis was nearly 25% without surgical intervention or radiation amongst patients that had most destructive disease features.

Majority of elderly men that might be participants for active surveillance might still view surgery or radiation as a more preferred choice to watchful waiting.

Observing patients was not a benign or economical process. Majority of patients undergo PSA tests every 3 months and a biopsy conducted at least once annually.

The EWG researchers mentioned that they are continuing the use of the mobile phones; however customers must opt for only those phones that had the lowest possible radiation emission rates.

The EWG rated a list of thousand mobile phones based on their radiation emission levels and has drawn a listing of ten phones with the top ranked on the listing not necessarily indicating that the phone is the highly idyllic or the safest bet, but just that the phones displayed lowest possible emissions when compared to the other phone models whose data was accessible.

The following top ten listing is based on the lowest possible emission rates:

1. Samsung Impression.
2. Motorola RAZR V8.
3. Samsung SGH-t229.
4. Samsung Rugby.
5. Samsung Propel Pro.
6. Samsung Gravity.
7. T Mobile Sidekick.
8. LG Xenon.
9. Motorola Karma.
10. Sanyo Kantana II.

The much clamoured for model, iPhone 3G was perched in the middle spot of the entire listing. The following phone models featured at the tail end of the listing depicting the soaring radiation emissions that included phones like T-Mobile Shadow, Motorola W385, Blackberry Curve 8330, T-Mobile myTouch3G, Motorola MOTO VU204 and Kyocera Jax S1300.

With the raging debate on the cancer threats among cell phone users continues, the MD of the American Cancer Society, Mr. Michael Thun who reassessed the EWG report states that their conclusion regarding soaring proofs of health damage is flawed as they have not investigated the protracted usage of phones.

Mr.Thun cited the example of Sweden to make his point clear stating that it had the longest spanning history of mobile phone use, yet no rise in the brain cancer cases have been reported there. He stated that factually the rate of cell phone usage has soared in the past twenty years. He added that the radiation emitted from cell phones are non-ionising in nature that do not break down the DNA.

Thun agrees to the conclusion in the report that lays emphasis on the point that cell phones need stronger government guidelines. Thun also noted that those apprehensive about cell phone usage could opt for the corded or the cordless earpieces as the major exposure emanates from the antenna. So, with earpiece that is hardly any significant kind exposure.

Read more at: Mobile Phones – The Debatable Health Safety Quotient – Part I

On the other hand, a section of experts have squarely disparaged the report citing it as a half-hearted endeavour that lays only partial emphasis on proofs that link cell phone users to the marring effects while being ignorant about the research that detected no glitch.

Despite that, the EWG researchers state that there is reason to be alarmed about, as latest research are depicting fifty to ninety percent raised chanced of developing the two forms of brain tumours namely gliomas and acoustic neuromas noted in individuals that utilized mobile phones for at least a decade.

The research done in the last couple of years are pointing to elevated risks of developing brain tumours that has impelled the EWG to reassess the scientific literature and forward its report that additionally insisted on the federal government to necessitate the mandatory radiation emission labelling on cell phones along with a host of other actions that needed to be taken.

Jane Houlihan, the senior VP heading research has stated that the science unquestionably is not explicit. The queries on the role of mobile phones usage in causing tumours and cancer is believed to be full of loopholes.

The report states that there are a whooping four billion plus mobile phone users globally. The report was created after investigating the cases of greater than two hundred peer re-evaluated research, government reviews and industrial documentation.

In the reassessment of the scientific proof, the EWG researchers discovered latest studies that linked radiation emitted from cell phones to the following health hazards:

• The two forms of brain tumours particularly gliomas and acoustic neuromas.
• Tumours related to the salivary gland. A particular study was known to reveal an elevated risk of close to sixty percent detected in mobile phone users.
• Behavioural aberrations are also cited. The outcome of study carried in Denmark on thirteen thousand infants showed that there was nearly an eighty percent heightened likelihood in youngsters to suffer from emotional problems and being hyperactive noted in cell phone users and in those children being born to women that utilized cell phones during the course of pregnancy.