Excellent report. A problem is that many Urologists want to do a biopsy
when the PSA is high and I am told that that will accelerate the growth and
spread of cancer cells if they are in evidence.
73, Carl VE9OV
----- Original Message -----
> From: "WD4K" <WD4K@bellsouth.net>
> To: "FireBrick" <w9ol@billnjudy.com>; <UpTheTower@aol.com>;
> <w4zyt@exis.net>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
> Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 19:38 PM
> Subject: RE: [TowerTalk] Hams and prostrate cancer
>
>
> > I will ditto the thank you! My father is now 87 after winning the
> prostate
> > battle at age 65 due to early detection. I have forwarded this on to
some
> > ham friends, many of whom are in our "mid-fifty" age group. Thanks agn.
> > Tommy WD4K/WZ5V
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> > [mailto:owner-towertalk@contesting.com]On Behalf Of FireBrick
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 3:09 PM
> > To: UpTheTower@aol.com; w4zyt@exis.net; towertalk@contesting.com
> > Subject: Re: [TowerTalk] Hams and prostrate cancer
> >
> >
> > Thank you. Factual and informative. I'm 55.
> > ----- Original Message -----
> > From: <UpTheTower@aol.com>
> > To: <w4zyt@exis.net>; <towertalk@contesting.com>
> > Sent: Tuesday, April 10, 2001 3:57 PM
> > Subject: [TowerTalk] Hams and prostrate cancer
> >
> >
> > > Comments from a TowerTalk MD:
> > >
> > > There are a lot of hams who have prostate cancer not because they are
> > > hams but because there is a lot of prostate cancer out there, and hams
> > > are in the prime age group to be diagnosed with it. Prostate cancer
> > is
> > > the most common malignancy (except for skin cancers) in men, and the
> > > second most common cause of cancer death in men. There will be some
> > > 200,000 new cases of prostate cancer this year and an estimated 31,500
> > > deaths. If there is, as a rough estimate, one ham per 400 people,
> > then
> > > there will be 500 hams diagnosed this year with prostate cancer and
> > just
> > > shy of 80 hams will die of it. Since it is a disease which progresses
> > > slowly and can be treated effectively for many years, there are a host
> > > of "mature" (read: >55-yrs old) men around with the disease, and a
> > > proportion of them are hams. I would guess there are between 8000 and
> > > 10,000 hams with the diagnosis at this time.
> > >
> > > While there has been some statistical association of prostate cancer
> > to
> > > high-fat diet, exposure to cadmium, and a history of vasectomy, none
> > of
> > > these is definitively linked with prostate cancer. The disease seems
> > to
> > > be mostly associated with intact male hormonal function (which, trust
> > > me, you want) and with advancing age (which beats the alternative).
> > The
> > > incidence of prostate cancer grows dramatically with each decade past
> > > the fifth - up to 70 per cent of men in their 80s may have the
> > disease.
> > > Prostate cancer is more common in African-Americans and less common in
> > > Americans of Asian descent. One in eleven caucasians will develop the
> > > disease, and one in nine African-Americans. If there is a family
> > > history of prostate cancer, particularly if the disease developed in a
> > > close relative before age 65, there is increased risk of developing
> > the
> > > disease. Contrary to some statements made here and elsewhere (and
> > > decades of wishful thinking), sex, or lack of it, does not predispose
> > to
> > > prostate cancer, but if you think your XYL will buy the argument, give
> > > it a try....Just don't quote me.
> > >
> > > Since the median age of American hams is now about 55, prostate cancer
> > > is probably a real issue in the hobby. The American Urological
> > > Association and the American College of Surgeons recommend that men
> > aged
> > > 50 and above should have an annual prostate checkup which includes a
> > > digital rectal exam and a blood test called the prostate specific
> > > antigen (PSA). Patients at high risk (African-Americans and those
> > with
> > > a family history) should begin such screening at age 40. Many
> > hospitals
> > > and medical societies sponsor community prostate screenings, usually
> > in
> > > the fall, where these exams are available at no charge. Take advantage
> > > of these.
> > >
> > > Prostate cancer is pretty far afield from the tower topics. Hey, I
> > > didn't bring it up, but before the disinformation being bantered about
> > > got too far out of hand, I thought I would inject some factual
> > > information about it. No doubt many of us are literally sitting on
> > top
> > > of a potential cancer death when we sit down to the key or microphone,
> > > but this has less to do with ham radio than with the demographics of
> > the
> > > hobby in 2001. However, if you meet the criteria for being at risk
> > > prostate cancer and you haven't bothered to get checked, you're
> > missing
> > > the boat. You may never get to work P5 when it finally comes up, and
> > it
> > > will be your own fault.
> > >
> > > Best health and good DX.
> > > Vy 73, Don W4ZYT
> > >
> > > List Sponsor: ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
> > > safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
> > > http://www.championradio.com
> > >
> > > -----
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> > > Problems: owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
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> > http://www.championradio.com
> >
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> >
> >
> >
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> >
>
List Sponsor: ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
http://www.championradio.com
-----
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