prostate tumors

When no treatment is the best treatment

It's the look I know all too well -- the look of panic I see in the eyes of nearly every newly diagnosed cancer patient.

The look that says "DO SOMETHING!"

But in many cases, the best "something" is actually nothing at all -- and that's especially true when it comes to prostate cancer. In fact, this disease is one case where less is often a whole lot more.

In one new study, researchers compared two common treatment-free approaches to prostate cancer: active surveillance and watchful waiting.

As the name suggests, "active" surveillance involves more work -- more tests, and more trips to the doctor.

But as the study shows, men don't get better outcomes from it.

In fact, they have roughly the same risk of death as men who take the more hands-off "watchful waiting" approach.

So far, that's a tie.

But it didn't remain that way -- because men who take the active surveillance approach are more than twice as likely to undergo treatment for prostate cancer as men who choose watchful waiting.

That's an important difference, because treatment can be even worse than the disease itself, leading to long-term and even lifelong battles with incontinence, impotence, and other side effects.

As a result, the new study in the Annals of Internal Medicine finds that "watchful waiting" leads to the best quality of life without actually increasing the risk of death.

And that means "less" really is "more" when it comes to this disease.

I know this runs counter to the "DO SOMETHING!" instinct that comes with a cancer diagnosis. But the fact is, prostate tumors grow very slowly -- so slowly they will never pose a threat to most men.

And if you want to make sure those tumors remain harmless and feel like you're doing "SOMETHING" to fight cancer, there are some natural supplements you can take that can slow the disease further -- including selenium.

In one recent study, this trace mineral was shown to slash the risk of potentially deadly stage III and IV prostate tumors by as much as 63 percent, and you can read more about that right here.

For more on the best nutritional approaches to beating cancer -- any cancer -- work closely with an experienced holistic physician. And if you're in Southern California, I can help.

Contact my clinic at 1-855-DOC-MARK for more information or to make an appointment.

Healthy and active men have lower prostate risk

Prostate tumors are far more common than most people realize -- and many of them are harmless.

They don't need to be screened, treated, or removed.

But some tumors really can put you in a battle for your life -- and there's one easy way to help make sure you don't get one of those.

And all you have to do is get moving, staying healthy and active.

The sedentary lifestyle is a known carcinogen, and new research confirms that men who spend the most time off their feet not only have a higher risk of prostate cancer, but a higher risk of aggressive and potentially deadly tumors.

The key to making sure you're not one of them is getting between nine and 18 hours of activity a week. Not exercise (although you'll want some of that, too), but hours where you're simply up being healthy and active instead of parked in a chair.

In the new study, men with suspected prostate tumors who got this basic level of activity were 53 percent less likely to have actual tumors. And when tumors were found, they were less likely to be among the men with high-grade tumors.

The only "catch" here is that the benefit was only found among white men -- and not at all among black men. But don't let your own race, background, or gender stand in the way of fitness, because other studies have shown how everyone can benefit from staying healthy and active.

Regular exercise has been shown to slash to risk of cancers of the colon, breast, lung, and more -- and fitness can help increase your chances of survival if you do get any of these diseases.

Throw in all the other benefits of fitness -- from weight loss to heart protection -- and I'd say it's time to stop sitting and start moving.

I'll have more on another way men and women alike can slash the risk of cancer tomorrow. It's simple... it's easy... it's free... and I can guarantee you that some people won't like it.

Stay tuned!