Free brochure tells how to reduce risk for prostate cancer

American Institute for Cancer Research
Thursday, 18 May 2000

There has been wide media coverage in recent weeks about public figures battling prostate cancer. As a result, Americans are becoming more aware of the dangers of this disease, with heightened interest in how it might be prevented.

Prostate cancer is the second most commonly diagnosed cancer for American men. Last year, an estimated 179,000 new cases of prostate cancer were diagnosed. It's also the second leading cause of cancer deaths, with 37,000 deaths in 1999 alone. Reseachers still don't know what causes prostate cancer. They do know, however, that certain diets are associated with lowered risk for the disease: low-fat, high-fiber diets featuring plenty of vegetables and fruits.

Experts recommend eating at least five servings of vegetables and fruits each day. Researchers have found, however, in a study of over 1,200 men, that the average daily consumption of vegetables was only about one and a half servings.

Although that figure is disheartening, another gives cause for hope. The study, conducted at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, found that eating just three servings of vegetables a day can reduce a man's risk of prostate cancer by nearly half. Clearly, even modest improvements in eating a healthier diet can cause significant declines in the risk of prostate cancer. But there is much more that American men can do to protect their health from this deadly disease.

A new brochure, Diet, Nutrition and Prostate Cancer, provides information about prostate cancer and how it can be prevented by following simple dietary guidelines and other healthful practices. Information on research, screening and treatment is also given.

Published by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), the brochure is available to the public free of charge by calling 1-800-843-8114 or 202-328-7744, ext. AL2. It can also be requested by writing to the AICR Publications Department, 1759 R Street, NW, Washington, DC 20009.

For more information, or to contact American Institute for Cancer Research, see their website at: www.aicr.org