A new study by researchers from Johns Hopkins has shown that an exercise program that incorporates resistance and aerobic exercise can help to reverse bone loss that has resulted from hormone therapy.

Thousands of men undergo androgen-deprivation therapy (better known as hormone therapy) for treatment of prostate cancer each year. There are a number of side effects that can result from long-term hormone therapy including bone loss (osteoporosis), muscle loss, and obesity.

Counteracting these side effects has been a point of much research recently. This study compared two groups of men who were receiving hormone therapy. One group was assigned to participate in an exercise program that employed both resistance and aerobic exercise with an instructor twice a week for 12 weeks, while the other group was assigned to usual care - without any specific exercise program.

After just 12 weeks, there was a significant increase in "muscle mass, strength, physical function, and balance" in the men assigned to the exercise group. Yet more evidence that exercise is vitally important to all men, but especially those with prostate cancer.

This study was published in the online edition of the Journal of Clinical Oncology.

_{Source: Galvao DA, Taaffe DR, Spry N, et al. Combined resistance and aerobic exercise program reverses muscle loss in men undergoing androgen suppression therapy for prostate cancer without bone metastases: A randomized controlled trial. Journal of Clinical Oncology [early online publication]. November 30, 2009.}

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The "Movember" Campaign, which sought to raise awareness about prostate cancer (as well as money for prostate cancer research) by getting thousands of men across the world to grow moustaches in the month of November, was a resounding success in 2009.

The campaign raised over $30 million worldwide this year with participants from Australia, New Zealand, the U.S., the U.K., Ireland, and Canada.

Again...great idea, great results, great cause.

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There's been a lot of controversy lately over a statement made by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommending against screening mammograms for average-risk women between the ages of 40 and 50.

The USPSTF made the claim that women with average risks of breast cancer who were under the age of 50 stood to suffer more harm than good from screening mammograms. This has caused quite a stir as numerous groups have spoken out against this recommendation as a form of health care "rationing" or as unnecessary risk-taking with the lives of women.

There haven't been any equally controversial statements made about prostate cancer screening - at least not by any major organizations. Don't be too surprised if statements like this come out regarding prostate cancer screening, however. Some physicians and researchers think that the PSA test catches too many "insignificant" prostate cancers (meaning cancers that would just grow slowly forever without causing a real problem) and result in too many men getting treated overall. The majority of physicians believe that the PSA test is still a very useful tool despite its shortcomings and, along with the digital rectal exam, is the best screening tool we have at the moment.

You can read a more in depth article I've written about the pros and cons of prostate cancer screening here.

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Rob Stirling, an ambassador affiliated with prostate groups in Australia recently made the statement that men in rural Australia have a 10% higher risk of dying from their prostate cancer than men from Australia's large cities.

In large, sprawling countries like Australia, it can be difficult for doctors to make it to men men in rural areas in order to give them appropriate screening tests and yearly checkups. Additionally, it can be difficult for men from rural areas to make their way to medical centers for treatment.

"Flying physician" programs have been started in order to help alleviate some of the difficultly that rural residents have in obtaining proper medical care.

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Famed composer Andrew Lloyd Webber was forced to return to the hospital recently after developing a post-surgical infection.

Lloyd Webber underwent surgery to remove his prostate last month after he was diagnosed with prostate cancer and had been doing well. He was readmitted to the hospital, however, after developing an infection following surgery.

While prostate surgery is done in a sterile setting and antibiotics are routinely given to ward off any post-surgical infection, it is definitely still possible for infection to occur.

If the infection is severe enough, antibiotics given through an IV are used and, sometimes, the area of infection is surgically cleaned.

Could your doctor's treatment advice be biased in favor of one treatment or another without any real scientific data to back it up?

Definitely.

While your doctor almost certainly has your best interests at heart, that doesn't mean that he or she is without a bias in favor of one treatment over another.

Learn more about this important issue in an in-depth article available here.

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Prostate cancer's spread is often described inaccurately by those who have it themselves, their families, and even their doctors. Here's a quick breakdown of how to accurately describe the extent of prostate cancer that has spread.

Locally advanced prostate cancer is cancer that has grown through the wall or capsule of the prostate and invaded into the nearby normal tissues.

Metastatic prostate cancer is cancer that has spread from the prostate into areas of the body distant from the prostate. For example, prostate cancer that has spread to the bones is called "metastatic prostate cancer".

That's pretty much it. If the cancer has spread beyond the region immediately adjacent to the prostate, then it is no longer just "locally advanced" - it is now more appropriately called "metastatic".

A new study has shown that men with healthy levels of cholesterol have less chance of developing high grade (aggressive) prostate cancer than men with high cholesterol levels.

In this study, involving more than 5000 men, researchers from Johns Hopkins University determined that men with total cholesterol levels below 200 (considered a relatively healthy level) had a nearly 60% lower rate of developing aggressive prostate cancers than men with total cholesterol levels above 200.

This study did not take into account whether the men being studied had taken cholesterol-lowering drugs like statins or simply had healthy levels of cholesterol without the use of medication. Studies in the past have shown that there may be an association between statin use and lower rates of prostate cancer, but this association has not been definitively shown to be true.

The medical journal Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention published this most recent study.

Dennis Hopper, famed for his roles in movies such as Rebel Without a Cause, Easy Rider, and Blue Velvet was recently diagnosed with prostate cancer and will be undergoing treatment at the University of Southern California.

The 73-year-old Hopper hasn't released much other information such as what treatment option he has decided upon.

The Movember Foundation is back at it again this year as it seeks to promote prostate and testicular cancer awareness by having thousands of men around the world grow moustaches throughout November.

For those of you who aren't familiar, "mo" is slang for moustache in Australia (from which the founders of the Movember Foundation hail).

The foundation was started in 2003 in Australia and has been active in the U.S. for the past 3 years. So far, they have raised nearly $50 million for prostate cancer research worldwide.

Kudos to the Movember Foundation for a fun, innovative, and effective campaign to raise awareness and money about male cancers!

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