Hair-Loss Drug Could Hinder Prostate Cancer Detection

Author:
Karen Barrow
Medically Reviewed On: August 14, 2007
A popular hair-growth drug may alter the accuracy of prostate cancer screening, say researchers.
Propecia, a drug commonly used to regrow thinning hair, appears to alter levels of a hormone that alerts doctors to an increased risk of prostate cancer in middle-aged men, possibly hiding the presence of the disease.
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a hormone always present in men, but it tends to become elevated if prostate disorders including cancer develop. Therefore, PSA testing has become a routine cancer screening, recommended to begin around age 40, when the risk of prostate cancer begins to grow.
However, a recent study has shown that Propecia may interfere with the results of this screening, as it seems to lower the amount of PSA present in a man’s body.
“For these men, the PSA needs to be corrected, of the detection of prostate cancer may not occur until it is more aggressive,” said Dr. Anthony D’Amico, lead study author from the Dana-Farber/Brigham and Women’s Cancer Center in Boston, Massachusetts.
For the study, D’Amico and colleagues looked as 355 men between the ages of 40 and 60, 247 of whom were given a low dose of Propecia for 48 weeks. The men’s PSA levels were measured before the start of the study and once every 12 weeks.
By the end of the study, the researchers determined that PSA levels dropped by 40 percent in men in their 40s and 50 percent in the men in their 50s.
Those not taking the drug had an average PSA level increase of 13 percent, relatively normal as PSA levels tend to increase with age.
Interestingly, finasteride, the active ingredient in Propecia, has also been used to treat prostate enlargement, but this is the first study to find that a very low dose of Propecia also impacts the prostate.
D’Amico believes that people who take Propecia and other finasteride-containing drugs, such as Proscar should receive more sensitive tests to detect prostate cancer if their PSA levels show even a small increase.
The researchers recommend that men over the age of 40 be sure to inform their doctors if they are taking Propecia, and make sure that their PSA levels are adjusted accordingly.

Prostate Surgery Aftercare

So you've just had surgery for prostate cancer. Now what? You're probably feeling some relief in some ways, but probably pretty uncomfortable, just from the surgery. Here's what the experts say:
When the patient awakens in the recovery room after the procedure, he already has a catheter, and is receiving pain medication via the IV line inserted prior to surgery.
The initial recovery period lasts approximately one week, and includes some pain and discomfort from the urinary catheter. Spastic convulsions of the bladder and prostate are expected as they respond to the surgical changes. The following medications are commonly prescribed after TURP:
B&O suppository (Belladonna and Opium). This medication has the dual purpose of providing pain relief and reducing the ureteral and bladder spasms that follow TURP surgery. It is a strong medication that must be used only as prescribed.
Bulk-forming laxative. Because of the surgical trauma and large quantities of liquids that patients are required to drink, they may need some form of laxative to promote normal bowel movements.
Detrol. This pain reliever is not as strong as B&O. There may be wide variations in its effectiveness and the patient's response. It also controls involuntary bladder contractions.
Macrobid. This antibiotic helps prevent urinary tract infections.
Pyridium. This medication offers symptomatic relief from pain, burning, urgency, frequency, and other urinary tract discomfort.
This information came from http://www.answers.com/topic/transurethral-resection-of-the-prostate?cat=health. There are so many wonderful websites that will give you the information you're looking for, but feel free to email me if you have any problems finding what you need!

What causes prostate cancer?

The cause of prostate cancer is unknown, but the cancer is thought not to be related to benign prostatic hypertrophy (BPH). The risk (predisposing) factors for prostate cancer include advancing age, genetics (heredity), hormonal influences, and such environmental factors as toxins, chemicals, and industrial products. The chances of developing prostate cancer increase with age. Thus, prostate cancer under age 40 is extremely rare, while it is common in men older than 80 years of age. As a matter of fact, some studies have suggested that among men over 80, between 50 and 80% of them may have prostate cancer!
Genetics (heredity), as just mentioned, plays a role in the risk of developing a prostate cancer. For example, black American men have a higher risk of getting prostate cancer than do Japanese or white American men. Environment, diet, and other unknown factors, however, can modify such genetic predispositions. For example, prostate cancer is uncommon in Japanese men living in their native Japan. However, when these men move to the United States, their incidence of prostate cancer rises significantly. Prostate cancer is also more common among family members of individuals with prostate cancer. Thus, a person whose father, grandfather, or even uncle has prostate cancer is at an increased risk for also developing prostate cancer. To date, however, no specific prostate cancer gene has been identified and verified. (Genes, which are situated on chromosomes within the nucleus of cells, are the chemical compounds that determine specific traits in individuals.) info courtesy of WebMD.