Scientists Believe They Found Why Obesity Is Linked To Prostate Cancer Deaths

A Study entitled “Prediagnostic Body-Mass Index, Plasma C-Peptide Concentration, and Prostate Cancer—Specific Mortality In Men With Prostate Cancer: A Long-Term Survival Analysis.”

Done by:

Ma J, Li H, Giovannucci E, Mucci L, Qiu W, Nguyen PL, Gaziano JM, Pollak M, Stampfer MJ.

Channing Laboratory, Department of Medicine, Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

And soon to be published in the British Medical Journal “Lancet”

According to the study which involved men diagnosed with prostate cancer during the 24 years of follow-up in the Physicians‘ Health Study…

BMI measurements were available at baseline in 1982 and eight years later in 1990 for 2546 men who developed prostate cancer.

Baseline C-peptide concentration was available in 827 men. We used Cox proportional hazards regression models controlling for age, smoking, time between BMI measurement and prostate cancer diagnosis, and competing causes of death to assess the risk of prostate cancer-specific mortality according to BMI and C-peptide concentration.

Crucial Information…

Of the 2546 men diagnosed with prostate cancer during the follow-up period, 989 (38.8%) were overweight (BMI 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2)) and 87 (3.4%) were obese (BMI >/=30 kg/m(2)).

281 men (11%) died from prostate cancer during this follow-up period.

Compared with men of a healthy weight (BMI <25 kg/m(2)) at baseline, overweight men and obese men had a significantly higher risk of prostate cancer mortality (proportional hazard ratio [HR] 1.47 [95% CI 1.16-1.88] for overweight men and 2.66 [1.62-4.39] for obese men; p(trend)<0.0001).

The trend remained significant after controlling for clinical stage and Gleason grade and was stronger for prostate cancer diagnosed during the PSA screening era (1991-2007) compared with during the pre-PSA screening era (1982-1990) or when using BMI measurements obtained in 1990 compared with those obtained in 1982. Of the 827 men with data available for baseline C-peptide concentration, 117 (14%) died from prostate cancer.

Men with C-peptide concentrations in the highest quartile (high) versus the lowest quartile (low) had a higher risk of prostate cancer mortality (HR 2.38 [95% CI 1.31-4.30]; p(trend)=0.008). Compared with men with a BMI less than 25 kg/m(2) and low C-peptide concentrations, those with a BMI of 25 kg/m(2) or more and high C-peptide concentrations had a four-times higher risk of mortality (4.12 [1.97-8.61]; p(interaction)=0.001) independent of clinical predictors.

Interpretation:

Excess bodyweight and a high plasma concentration of C-peptide both predispose men with a subsequent diagnosis of prostate cancer to an increased likelihood of dying of their disease. Patients with both factors have the worst outcome. Further studies are now needed to confirm these findings.

A Second Study…

Insulin-Like Growth Factors, Their Binding Proteins, And Prostate Cancer Risk: Analysis Of Individual Patient Data From 12 Prospective Studies.

Done By:

Roddam AW, Allen NE, Appleby P, Key TJ, Ferrucci L, Carter HB, Metter EJ, Chen C, Weiss NS, Fitzpatrick A, Hsing AW, Lacey JV Jr, Helzlsouer K, Rinaldi S, Riboli E, Kaaks R, Janssen JA, Wildhagen MF, Schröder FH, Platz EA, Pollak M, Giovannucci E, Schaefer C, Quesenberry CP Jr, Vogelman JH, Severi G, English DR, Giles GG, Stattin P, Hallmans G, Johansson M, Chan JM, Gann P, Oliver SE, Holly JM, Donovan J, Meyer F, Bairati I, Galan P.

Cancer Epidemiology Unit, University of Oxford, Richard Doll Building, Roosevelt Drive, Oxford OX3 7LF, United Kingdom.

Background for the Study

Some, but not all, published results have shown an association between circulating blood levels of some insulin-like growth factors (IGFs) and their binding proteins (IGFBPs) and the subsequent risk for prostate cancer.

Purpose of the Study

To assess the association between levels of IGFs and IGFBPs and the subsequent risk for prostate cancer.

Data Sources

Studies identified in PubMed, Web of Science, and CancerLit.

Study Selection

The principal investigators of all studies that published data on circulating concentrations of sex steroids, IGFs, or IGFBPs and prostate cancer risk using prospectively collected blood samples were invited to collaborate.

Data Extraction

Investigators provided individual participant data on circulating concentrations of IGF-I, IGF-II, IGFBP-II, and IGFBP-III and participant characteristics to a central data set in Oxford, United Kingdom.

Data Synthesis

The study included data on 3700 men with prostate cancer and 5200 control participants.

On average, case patients were 61.5 years of age at blood collection and received a diagnosis of prostate cancer 5 years after blood collection.

The greater the serum IGF-I concentration, the greater the subsequent risk for prostate cancer (odds ratio [OR] in the highest vs. lowest quintile, 1.38 [95% CI, 1.19 to 1.60]; P < 0.001 for trend).

Neither IGF-II nor IGFBP-II concentrations were associated with prostate cancer risk, but statistical power was limited.

Insulin-like growth factor I and IGFBP-III were correlated (r = 0.58), and although IGFBP-III concentration seemed to be associated with prostate cancer risk, this was secondary to its association with IGF-I levels.

Insulin-like growth factor I concentrations seemed to be more positively associated with low-grade than high-grade disease; otherwise, the association between IGFs and IGFBPs and prostate cancer risk had no statistically significant heterogeneity related to stage or grade of disease, time between blood collection and diagnosis, age and year of diagnosis, prostate-specific antigen level at recruitment, body mass index, smoking, or alcohol intake.

Limitations

Insulin-like growth factor concentrations were measured in only 1 sample for each participant, and the laboratory methods to measure IGFs differed in each study. Not all patients had disease stage or grade information, and the diagnosis of prostate cancer may differ among the studies.

Conclusion

High circulating IGF-I (Insulin) concentrations are associated with a moderately increased risk for prostate cancer.

One Last Study regarding Insulin and Enlarged Prostate (BPH)

Insulin and Free Oestradiol Are Independent Risk Factors For Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia.

Hammarsten J, Damber JE, Karlsson M, Knutson T, Ljunggren O, Ohlsson C, Peeker R, Smith U, Mellström D.

Department of Urology, Skaraborg Hospital, Skövde, Sweden.

The aetiology of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) remains unclear.

The objective of the present study was to test the insulin, oestradiol and metabolic syndrome hypotheses as promoters of BPH.

The design was a risk factor analysis of BPH in which the total prostate gland volume was related to endocrine and anthropometric factors.

The participants studied were 184 representative men, aged 72-76 years, residing in Göteborg, Sweden.

Using a multivariate analysis, BPH as measured by the total prostate gland volume correlated statistically significantly with fasting serum insulin (beta=0.200, P=0.028), free oestradiol (beta=0.233, P=0.008) and lean body mass (beta=0.257, P=0.034).

Insulin and free oestradiol appear to be independent risk factors for BPH, confirming both the insulin and the oestradiol hypotheses. Our findings also seem to confirm the metabolic syndrome hypothesis. The metabolic syndrome and its major endocrine aberration, hyperinsulinaemia, are possible primary events in BPH.

Take Aways From These Studies…

Get your weight to a healthy level. This will help you control insulin in your body. When you control insulin by maintaining a healthy weight — notice I did not say “Normal” because normal is based on the average of men today,and the average weights have gone up to above healthy.

So you can see how your keeping a healthy weight can help you avoid developing porstate cancer.

Maintaining a healthy weight is only one of the weapons at your disposal to fight off prostate cancer. Other arrows in your quiver include, avoiding certain foods; eating certain foods; regularly taking a supplement based on scientifically proven ingredients (like Smarter Prostate Formula™ which we developed); getting screened regularly.

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Posted under Enlarged Prostate (BPH), Prostate Cancer

Can You Make Yourself Immune From Prostate Cancer?

I believe that you can… if you follow certain methods.

However…. There is not now, nor ever going to be a magic bullet pill that will instantly make you immune.

How to Make Yourself Immune

There are things you can do… herbs/botanicals you can take… lifestyle changes you can make… foods you can eat that can make you immune, in my opinion. And this is not medical advice… it’s opinion only.

That being said, in my research for my book, I came across natural substances that kill cancer faster than kryptonite kills superman. I found other substances that make cancer cells commit suicide. I found substances that help prevent testosterone (a hormone) from binding with another naturally occurring substance in your body when the binding takes place can cause abnormal growth in your prostate leading to cancer.

They are all shown and the research backing the statements clearly laid out for you in my book. Again, this is not medical advice.

What I’m Talking About Here Is Natural Substances… Not drugs.

In addition to lifestyle changes, and food choices… the third leg is taking a good supplement. It’s one thing you can do. And yes, I have created a prostate supplement based on over 400 hours of scouring scientific studies in the USA and abroad. It’s called the Smarter Prostate Formula™ But this post is not about the supplement.

This post is about the needless slaughter of men by a drug company for the sake of profits.

This Is Why I Do Not Trust Drug Companies

”Cell Genesys, Inc. (Nasdaq:CEGE) today announced that it has terminated VITAL-2, the second of two Phase 3 clinical trials of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer, which compares GVAX immunotherapy in combination with Taxotere® (docetaxel) to Taxotere plus prednisone in patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer.“

The tests apparently were on 408 patients and 114 of them were killed — 67 by the GVAX plus Taxotere combination treatment arm and 47 deaths occurred in the Taxotere control arm.

Let me repeat the number of dead and the cause.

Out of 408 patients… according to the press release…

67 Dead! by the GVAX plus Taxotere combination treatment

47 Dead! occurred in the Taxotere control arm

And What Did The Chairman/CEO Have To Say?

Did the Chairman/CEO apologize publicly? Not according to the press release. In fact, he went on to justification mode… look…

Here is a quote from him (I did cut out some but you can read the entire quote below in the press release) “ ‘Patient safety is always our paramount concern and so we have immediately responded to the recommendation of the IDMC….’ stated Stephen A. Sherwin, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Cell Genesys.”

What???? Let’s Analyze This Statement…

If patient safety is their paramount concern… then why, oh why didn’t they stop the tests after the first few men died? Why do they have to wait until the IDMC (Independent Data Monitoring Committee) tells them to stop? Hmmm?

Here is the press release they sent out…

August 27, 2008 07:10 AM Eastern Daylight Time

Cell Genesys Halts VITAL-2 GVAX Trial in Advanced Prostate Cancer

Conference Call Scheduled for 8:30 a.m. ET Today

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif.— (BUSINESS WIRE) — Cell Genesys, Inc. (Nasdaq:CEGE) today announced that it has terminated VITAL-2, the second of two Phase 3 clinical trials of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer, which compares GVAX immunotherapy in combination with Taxotere® (docetaxel) to Taxotere plus prednisone in patients with advanced-stage prostate cancer. The Company ended the trial as recommended by its Independent Data Monitoring Committee (IDMC) which, in a routine safety review meeting held this week, observed an imbalance in deaths between the two treatment arms of the study. To date, VITAL-2 enrolled 408 patients. The IDMC based its recommendation on 114 deaths of which 67 occurred in the GVAX plus Taxotere combination treatment arm and 47 deaths occurred in the Taxotere control arm. At this time, a specific cause for the imbalance in deaths has not been identified and the IDMC reported no new safety issues for GVAX when administered in combination with Taxotere. The Company plans to fully analyze the clinical data from these patients to attempt to understand the potential cause for the higher rate of deaths observed in the GVAX immunotherapy plus Taxotere combination arm, including an assessment of potential imbalances between the two arms of the study such as baseline characteristics and prognostic factors, as well as other treatment variables. In light of the IDMC’s observation with respect to VITAL-2, the Company has requested that the IDMC perform a previously unspecified futility analysis of VITAL-1, the other Phase 3 clinical trial of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer. The Company expects the results of the VITAL-1 futility analysis in approximately one month.

“Patient safety is always our paramount concern and so we have immediately responded to the recommendation of the IDMC. We are currently notifying all participating clinical trial sites and regulatory agencies that enrollment of new patients into VITAL-2 has been suspended as has treatment with GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer of patients enrolled in the study,” stated Stephen A. Sherwin, M.D., chairman and chief executive officer of Cell Genesys. “Notwithstanding this disappointing outcome, we would like to acknowledge the courage and commitment of the patients and physicians who have participated in this trial.”

Dr. Sherwin continued, “The observation in the VITAL-2 trial is very surprising to us, and we have therefore asked the IDMC to conduct a previously unplanned futility analysis of VITAL-1 in order to determine the overall prospects for our ongoing development program for this product. Moreover, with the cessation of VITAL-2, we expect to make commensurate adjustments to our business operations and we will provide further details regarding this in the near future. As a reminder, the company ended the second quarter of 2008 with $166 million in cash.”

VITAL-2 was a multi-center, randomized, controlled Phase 3 clinical trial designed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer used in combination with Taxotere chemotherapy compared to the use of Taxotere chemotherapy and prednisone in hormone-refractory prostate cancer (HRPC) patients with metastatic disease who are symptomatic with cancer-related pain. The primary endpoint of the trial was an improvement in survival. VITAL-2 was initiated in June 2005 and to date had enrolled 408 patients at 115 clinical trial sites located in North America and the European Union. VITAL-1, the other Phase 3 clinical trial of GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer, is designed to compare GVAX cancer immunotherapy as a monotherapy to Taxotere chemotherapy plus prednisone in earlier stage HRPC patients with metastatic disease who are asymptomatic with respect to cancer-related pain. The primary endpoint of the trial is an improvement in survival. In 2007, the VITAL-1 trial completed enrollment with 626 patients. In January 2008, Cell Genesys announced that the IDMC had completed a pre-planned interim analysis for VITAL-1 and recommended that the study continue, providing no further information to the company other than the recommendation to continue the trial.

Conference Call and Webcast

Members of the Cell Genesys management team will host a conference call today, Wednesday, August 27, 2008, at 8:30 a.m. ET to discuss the IDMC’s recommendation. Investors may listen to the webcast of the conference call live on the investor section of the Cell Genesys website, www.cellgenesys.com. Alternatively, investors may listen to a replay of the call by dialing (800) 475-6701 from locations in the U.S. and (320) 365-3844 from outside the U.S. The call-in replay and webcast will be available for at least 72 hours following the call. Please refer to reservation number 958709.

About GVAX Immunotherapy for Prostate Cancer

GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer is comprised of two prostate tumor cell lines that have been modified to secrete GM-CSF (granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor), an immune stimulatory cytokine that plays a key role in stimulating the body’s immune response, and then irradiated for safety. GVAX immunotherapy for prostate cancer is designed to be administered through intradermal injections on an outpatient basis

About Cell Genesys

Cell Genesys (Nasdaq: CEGE) is focused on the development and commercialization of novel biological therapies for patients with cancer. The company’s lead product platform is GVAX® immunotherapy for cancer, which holds the potential to treat multiple types of cancer including prostate cancer, leukemia, pancreatic cancer and lung cancer. Cell Genesys continues to hold an equity interest in its former subsidiary, Ceregene, Inc., which is developing gene therapies for neurodegenerative disorders. Cell Genesys is headquartered in South San Francisco, California, and has manufacturing operations in Hayward, California. For additional information, please visit the company’s website at www.cellgenesys.com.

Statements made herein about the company, other than statements of historical fact, including statements about the company’s progress, results, findings, analysis and timing of clinical trials and preclinical programs, the timing of completion of and results from the VITAL-1 futility analysis discussed above and the nature of product pipelines are forward-looking statements and are subject to a number of uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from the statements made, including risks associated with the success of clinical trials and research and development programs, regulatory requirements and the regulatory approval process for clinical trials, manufacture and commercialization of the company’s products, competitive technologies and products, the need for and reliance on partnerships with third parties, and the need for additional financings. For information about these and other risks which may affect Cell Genesys, please see the company’s reports on Form 10-Q, 10-K, and 8-K and other reports filed from time to time with the Securities and Exchange Commission. The company assumes no obligation to update the forward-looking information in this press release.

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Posted under Natural Prostate Cures, Prostate Cancer, Western Drugs