Prostate Cancer (A Case For Infection)

The cause of prostate cancer still eludes the scientific world. Theories abound for causes of prostate cancer. Yet, there is strong evidence for an infective etiology. Why is this important? Because prostate cancer is the 2nd most commonly diagnosed cancer in men, and minor changes in its incidence can have a profound impact on the epidemiology of this disease. Whereas many men die with their prostate cancer and not from it, when prostate cancer is aggressive and metastasizes to the bones, it can be one of the most painful experiences to sufferers, causing profound disability and distress. Prostate cancer cells can metastasize to any part of the body, but the most common sites for metastatic prostate cancer include the bones, the lymph nodes, the lungs, and liver. We have seen success in cervical cancer in women after the discovery of HPV as an infectious cause and similar success in gastric cancer after the discovery of the H. Pylori bacterium. The good news regarding prostate cancer is that in the more developed countries, its incidence is falling; however, the incidence of prostate cancer is on the rise in developing nations. Are they just diagnosing prostate cancer more frequently as these nations acquire the means and technology to do so? We saw a dramatic rise in the incidence of prostate cancer after the introduction of the PSA test in the 1980s, which probably represented more frequent discovery of otherwise silent prostate cancer cases. After 2008, many professional medical organizations recognized the harms of routine screen for prostate cancer and began recommending against the routine screening for prostate cancer with the PSA. The current recommendations for prostate cancer screening are; for individuals ages 55 to 69 years, the decision to undergo periodic PSA-based screening for prostate cancer should be an individual one. Screening for prostate cancer in men over the age of 70 is not recommended. Any confirmation of an infectious etiology would be a tremendous breakthrough in prostate cancer.