A Drop of Prevention   

Although lung cancer continues to be the number one cause of cancer death for men, it is prostate cancer that is most frequently diagnosed. The Prostate Cancer Research Foundation of Canada says some five million men are in their prostate cancer-risk years. But, as male baby boomers age and more men are tested, the number of new cases is expected to double over the next decade. In Ontario, an estimated 7,600 men were diagnosed with prostate cancer in 2002. In the same year, 1,600 men in Ontario died of prostate cancer.

The exact cause of prostate cancer is unknown. What is known is that cancer of the prostate most often occurs in men over the age of fifty, with married men being at higher risk than single men. The Canadian Cancer Society recommends that men over the age of 50 discuss with their doctor the potential benefits and risks of early detection of prostate cancer through a prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test, a simple test that measures the amount of prostate-specific antigen in a man's blood.

• Family History : Research shows you have at least twice the risk of developing prostate cancer if your father or brother has been diagnosed with the disease. If more than one close family member has been diagnosed with prostate cancer or if it was diagnosed at a relatively young age, (under 60) the risk may be further increased.
• Ethnicity : Prostate cancer appears to be more common in men of African ancestry as compared with Caucasian men. Asian and Aboriginal populations seem to have the lowest rates of prostate cancer.
• Diet : Research shows that a high fat diet may increase a man's risk of developing prostate cancer. On the other hand, diets that are rich in certain fruits and vegetables that contain lycopene may be protective or decrease the risk of developing prostate cancer.

Some general dietary recommendations to consider include :

• Eat less dietary fat
• Eat more fruit and vegetables, including tomatoes, tomato sauce or tomato juice, and pink grapefruit, papaya, and watermelon
• Eat more dietary fibre
• Eat more soy protein, such as tofu, tempeh, and soymilk

There was a time when surgery was the only hope for men with prostate cancer. But today, there are a number of other options in addition to surgery, including external beam radiation and brachytherapy, hormone therapy and watchful waiting, a continuous series of PSA tests.

April is Cancer Awareness Month. For more information about cancer prevention, visit HealthyOntario.

TORONTO - The Ontario government is urging the federal government to locate the new national public health agency in Ontario to take advantage of the critical mass of world-class public health, research and medical expertise within the Toronto-Hamilton-Guelph "health research triangle," Health and Long-Term Care Minister George Smitherman said.

"Toronto is the ideal location for a regional hub, giving the new agency strong international visibility and direct access to the combined health care and scientific might of Toronto, Hamilton and Guelph," Smitherman said. "Ontario's recent experience with SARS demonstrated that critical public health care capacity needs to be located near major population centres."

"The synergies between Toronto, Hamilton and Guelph are second to none. Among other attributes, Toronto brings the real-world experience of managing the SARS outbreak. When you add to that McMaster University's international reputation in health policy, evaluation and information, and the University of Guelph's world-renowned expertise in animal and water-borne illnesses, you have a public health powerhouse here in Ontario."

The minister noted that the Toronto-Guelph-Hamilton triangle is home to the largest training program for public health specialists, the largest public health unit in the country, the largest concentration of academic, scientific and health research capacity, the strongest critical care and trauma care community, world-class biomedical research, and international expertise in zoonotic (animal-to-human) disease.

Smitherman emphasized the government's support for a national network of regional hubs supporting a common national system, with the Toronto-Hamilton-Guelph being one key centre. The Ontario government is committed to develop a pan-Canadian partnership with the federal government and other provincial public health centres.

The first Walker Report (The Expert Panel on SARS and Infectious Disease Control) recommended the creation of a provincial public health agency for Ontario. Smitherman said this proposed new provincial agency would have a close link to the new national agency.

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