With Congress embarking on investigations into the use of steroids in Major League Baseball, there is evidence that steroids can worsen prostate cancer severity " stimulating existing prostate cancer cells.
"When it comes to prostate cancer, steroids can add fuel to the fire," National Prostate Cancer Coalition CEO Richard N. Atkins, M.D. said. "Increasing testosterone can accelerate tumor growth and the replication of cancer cells."
A common treatment for prostate cancer is hormone therapy where the patient is treated with estrogen to slow the tumor growth. Consequently, added testosterone can make prostate cancer tumors grow more rapidly.
Additional risk factors for prostate cancer are:
- Family history: your risk of getting the disease is double if one close relative has been diagnosed. The risk is three-fold with two close relatives and a prostate cancer diagnosis is virtually guaranteed if there are three close relatives.
- African Americans are nearly two and half times more likely to die from prostate cancer.
- Men who have a body mass index of 32.5 or greater are one-third more likely to die from prostate cancer.
- Vietnam veterans with exposure to Agent Orange
Taking care of the biggest thing in men's health, the National Prostate Cancer Coalition sets the standard for rapidly reducing the burden of prostate cancer on American men and their families through awareness, outreach and advocacy.
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1154 15th Street, NW Washington, DC 20005
Phone: 202-463-9455 Fax: 202-463-9456 www.pcacoalition.org
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