[TowerTalk] Hams and prostrate cancer (no, no ,no

Norman Hockler norsan@bright.net
Wed, 11 Apr 2001 21:41:12 -0400


NO, NO, NO  This is not true.  Who ever told you this is WRONG.  Please 
dont spread these kinds of rumors that could prevent someone from getting help.

De Norm  N8NH



At 10:27 AM 4/11/01 -0300, you wrote:
>Excellent report. The 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
> > >
> > > -----
> > > FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
> > > Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> > > Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> > > Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> > >
> > >
> >
> >
> > List Sponsor:  ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
> > safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
> > http://www.championradio.com
> >
> > -----
> > FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
> > Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> > Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> > Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> >
> >
> >
> > List Sponsor:  ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
> > safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
> > http://www.championradio.com
> >
> > -----
> > FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
> > Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
> > Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
> > Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com
> >
>
>
>
>List Sponsor:  ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
>safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
>http://www.championradio.com
>
>-----
>FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
>Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
>Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
>Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com



List Sponsor:  ChampionRadio.com - Trylon self-supporting towers,
safety equipment, rigging gear, LOOS tension guages & more!
http://www.championradio.com

-----
FAQ on WWW:               http://www.contesting.com/FAQ/towertalk
Submissions:              towertalk@contesting.com
Administrative requests:  towertalk-REQUEST@contesting.com
Problems:                 owner-towertalk@contesting.com