Consult our Cancer file to know the main Recommendations on cancer prevention using life habits :

– eat enough fruits and vegetables;

– have a balanced intake of fat;

– avoid excess calories;

– to be active;

– no smoking;

— etc.

See also the Complementary Approaches section (below).

La Canadian Cancer Society invites men over the age of 50 to talk to their doctor about their risk of developing prostate cancer and the appropriateness of screening¹¹.

Two tests can be used by doctors to try to detect early prostate cancer in men who have not no symptoms :

– the Rectal touch;

– the prostate specific antigen test (APS).

However, their use is controversial and medical authorities do not recommend early detection in men without symptoms.^10,38. It is not certain that it improves the chances of survival and lengthens the lifespan. It could therefore be that, for the majority of men, risks (concerns, pain and possible sequelae in the event of a thorough evaluation using a biopsy) outweigh the benefits of screening.

• Vitamin D supplements. In light of the results of various studies, the Canadian Cancer Society has recommended that Canadians, since 2007, take a supplement of 25 µg (1 IU) per day vitamin D in fall and winter⁴⁰. Such vitamin D intake would reduce the risk of prostate cancer and other cancers. The organization suggests that people with risks higher levels of vitamin D deficiency – which includes older people, people with dark skin pigmentation, and people who rarely expose themselves to the sun – do the same all year round.

  Remark. Several experts believe that the position of the Canadian Cancer Society remains too conservative in relation to the scientific evidence. Instead, they recommend a daily dosage of 2 IU to 000 IU of vitamin D3. In summer, the dose could be reduced, provided you expose yourself to the sun regularly (without sunscreen, but without getting sunburned).

• Finasteride (for high risk of prostate cancer). Finasteride (Propecia®, Proscar®), a drug first indicated to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and baldness, may also help prevent prostate cancer. This 5-alpha-reductase inhibitor, a e, blocks the transformation of testosterone into dihydrotestosterone, the active form of the hormone inside the prostate.

  During a large study⁹, the researchers had noted an association between taking finasteride and a slightly more frequent detection of a severe form of prostate cancer. The hypothesis that finasteride increases the risk of serious prostate cancer has since been refuted. It is now known that the detection of this form of cancer was facilitated by the fact that the size of the prostate had decreased. A smaller prostate helps detect tumors.

• Le dutasteride (Avodart®), a medicine which belongs to the same class as finasteride, is said to have a preventive effect similar to that of finasteride. This is what the results of a study published in 2010 indicate¹².

  Important. Make sure that the doctor who interprets the prostate-specific antigen blood test (APS ou PSA) is aware of treatment with finasteride, which lowers PSA levels.