Folate and Prostate Cancer Cary NC

The prostate is a walnut-sized gland in men that lies just below the bladder, surrounding the urethra. The function of the prostate is to enhance the movement of sperm cells by secreting a thin, lubricating fluid into the urethra. Prostate cancer is the most common form of cancer, excluding skin cancer, in men in the United States. It is primarily diagnosed in men over 65, although it may begin much earlier. Some cancers of the prostate are very slow growing, while others behave aggressively. Prostate cancer often metastasizes to other tissue, including the brain, lungs, lymph nodes, and bones. Early detection is critical in order to increase the chances for survival. The cancer can be felt upon digital rectal examination (DRE). These examinations are recommended routinely for all men over the age of 50 and high-risk men should commence at age 40.

Little is known about the causes of prostate cancer. Risk factors for prostate cancer include family history and black race. While most prostate cancers are found in the peripheral zone, they may occur anywhere in the prostate. Most pathologists use the Gleason grading system to assess the tumor progression. A score from 2 to 4 indicates a well-differentiated cancer; 5 to 6 correlates with a moderately differentiated cancer; and 7 to 10 indicates a poorly differentiated cancer. The poorer the differentiation of the cancer cells (the higher the score), the worse the prognosis. Well-differentiated tumors grow slowly, whereas poorly differentiated tumors grow rapidly and are associated with a poor prognosis.

A recent study investigated the role of folate in prostate cancer risk. Folate is a known antioxidant has been inversely related to some cancers. The data for this study was taken from the American Cancer Society Cancer Prevention Study II Nutrition Cohort study. Dietary data was collected on over 65,000 men during a 9-year period. During this follow-up, there were 1,588 diagnosed cases of prostate cancer. Folate intake was recorded using a food frequency questionnaire. After reviewing the results, it was shown that intake of folate was not associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer. However, a non-significant association was seen with higher folate intake and risk of advanced prostate cancer. The authors concluded that, "Because the statistical power of the analysis with advanced prostate cancer was limited by the low number of cases, further study is needed to establish this association."¹

¹Stevens VL, et al. Folate Nutrition and Prostate Cancer Incidence in a Large Cohort of US Men. Am J Epidemiol. June 2006;163(11):989-996.