Now at number 19 in top prostate cancer blogs

Up to position 19 from number 26 last year of cancer blogs on FeedSpot - ranked by traffic, social media followers and freshness. It is great to hear as I've not been so active re the blog this year - having said that I've still managed to post fairly regularly and also get nice feedback from readers. Thank you! Check out the other blogs at: https://cancer.feedspot.com/prostate_cancer_blogs/ 

As I noted last year most of the blogs seem to be linked to organisations or products and it looks like very few take a focus of integrative health ie getting the best from conventional, lifestyle and complimentary approaches. 

Taking aspirin for cancer?

Several years ago I helped host an online Forum with Yes to Life looking at the evidence around aspirin - this led to Yes to Life publishing a leaflet to raise awareness about the possible benefits and trials - see here: https://yestolife.org.uk/resource/low-dose-aspirin-and-cancer-treatment/

There was also a radio show with Yes to Life's Robin Daly interviewing two doctors researching it - see here: https://ukhealthradio.com/blog/episode/safe-effective-and-cheap-prof-peter-elwood-and-dr-gareth-morgan-present-their-latest-findings-on-the-use-of-aspirin-in-cancer-treatment/

Some six months ago I started taking 75mg of aspirin. I am aware that long term low dose usage is where there is growing evidence of its impact - it was good to see research published in Nature out this month is now starting to understand how aspirin works. Positive News reported on the latest research:

Scientists believe that they have worked out how aspirin stops some cancers from spreading. Studies of people with cancer have previously observed that those taking daily aspirin have a reduction in metastases – the spread – of some cancers, such as breast, bowel, and prostate cancers. Until now, it wasn’t known how aspirin is able to prevent metastases. But a study by the University of Cambridge, England, suggests that, as cancer starts spreading, there is “a unique therapeutic window of opportunity when cancer cells are particularly vulnerable to immune attack”. Aspirin can help the body launch that immune attack. The discovery could lead to the targeted use of aspirin to prevent the spread of certain cancers, and to the development of more effective drugs to prevent metastasis. However, scientists cautioned that aspirin can cause serious side-effects for some, and that people should consult their doctor before starting to take it. 

Update 29.03.25: Just listening to excellent talk with Prof Joachim Drevs on using aspirin - the talk should be available within a couple of weeks on the Yes to Life website - excellent! Why with all the research is it not standard treatment? Here is the brief about the webinar: "In many clinical studies, Aspirin is well proven for its preventive and adjuvant efficacy in all types of solid cancers. A similar salicylic acid, Diflunisal, has been used by us in a compassionate use programme since 2011. The particular mechanism of action of Diflunisal is highly effective, as demonstrated in patients with various cancer types, where a swift reduction in tumour burden has been observed. Additionally, this treatment has a secondary mode of action involving the immune system. The treatment protocol typically consists of five cycles, each lasting five days, and is generally well-tolerated. Despite its potent anticancer effects, the treatment's safety profile is considered favourable. Preliminary data from a pilot study suggest promising outcomes, with an approximate response rate of >60% for partial or complete remission and around 30% of patients achieving lasting remissions, regardless of tumour origin."

Understanding testosterone

As we know blocking testosterone production halts tumour growth in early disease, while elevating the hormone can delay disease progression in patients whose disease has advanced. This never made that much sense....Now it seems we have an explanation: 

"The researchers found that prostate cancer cells are hardwired with a system that allows them to proliferate when the levels of testosterone are very low. But when hormone levels are elevated to resemble those present in the normal prostate, the cancer cells differentiate....It turned out to be rather simple. When androgen levels are low, the androgen receptor is encouraged to “go solo” in the cell. In doing so, it activates the pathways that cause cancer cells to grow and spread. However, as androgens rise, the androgen receptors are forced to “hang out as a couple,” creating a form of the receptor that halts tumor growth. Nature has designed a system where low doses of hormones stimulate cancer cell proliferation and high doses cause differentiation and suppress growth, enabling the same hormone to perform diverse functions."

Here's the research article: https://corporate.dukehealth.org/news/study-solves-testosterones-paradoxical-effects-prostate-cancer

Here's also Chris Woollams at Canceractive writing in 2020 about hormone treatment (before this recent discovery). His article is an interesting look at current practice and a possibly different approach to hormones: https://www.canceractive.com/article/the-reality-of-lowered-testosterone-and-higher-oestrogen-in-men-counters-orthodox-theories-of-prostate-cancer He concludes rather grimly: "It all really seems a bit of a mess. Low Testosterone makes matters worse and standard treatment is to cut testosterone! Blood fat levels make matters worse, and standard treatment raises them! Anti-oestrogens seem to do a good job and no oncologist thinks to explore an anti-oestrogen, or indole 3 carbinol, or melatonin?. Meanwhile the number of prostate deaths climb, and recurrence is a major factor. As a friend of mine with a prostate cancer a decade ago said 'there doesn't seem to be best practice in prostate cancer'. He could well be right."

We still have a way to go - the latest research is very useful in helping us understand.

Another look at exercise

I find it is often good to have a reminder - here's a short video re exercise and prostate cancer: https://youtu.be/XFXfDUmjNDw?si=Ca1M6DeWdbD36Zk3

Inspire2Live

What a great name for an organisation, Inspire2Live - I joined them as a patient advocate several years ago now - we are some 100 patient advocates from dozens of countries around the world. The group meets online every week and in person at conferences - sadly I've been only on the edges of this group as meeting times are a challenge. However it is great to see this group making real tangible changes - see Peter Kapitein at a recent conference - he was the guy that started this all off: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tkHeAJ9jUVo

Check out Inspire2Live at: https://inspire2live.org/

And here are the advocates from around the World: https://inspire2live.org/about-us/patient-advocacy/meet-our-patient-advocates/

Find out more about peer-to-peer support groups

As regular blog readers will know I used to work for Yes to Life and help establish their cancer support groups in real life and online. To find out more about these there is an excellent new radio show with Sara Spinks, the current Co-ordinator for the Yes to Life programme of Wigwam Support Groups. She is an ardent advocate for the many benefits of group work including looking into the deeper questions of life, or simply for mutual support and learning.

All the groups are consistently appreciated by members on a wide variety of levels. During the interview, two Yes to Life Wigwam Group members will also describe what keeps them coming back for more.

Find out more about Yes to Life’s Wigwam Cancer Support Groups via the links below:

• Yes to Life Cancer Support Groups
• Yes to Life Wigwam Book Club

Check thepodcast out at: https://yestolife.org.uk/radio_shows/groups-healing-power-of-meeting/

See also my blog on what can make the biggest difference to our healing: https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2021/03/what-can-make-biggest-difference-to-our.html

And about building a community of Wigwam groups: https://myunexpectedguide.blogspot.com/2021/05/building-community-of-peer-led-support.html

Feeling creative? Could you help with our next cancer and art magazine?

Flourish Magazine is a joint venture between integrative cancer care charity Yes to Life and creative health charity Artlift, funded by National Lottery Awards for All, Arts Council, Gloucestershire Health and Care NHS Foundation Trust and many others. I helped establish this magazine to be a space explore the benefits of an integrative and creative approach to living with cancer.

It features a range of creative responses, expert information and interviews in each themed edition that offer support and represent the diversity of the cancer community.

Can you help? We are after content, paintings, photos, poems and more for our next issue with the theme 'Mind'. To get involved check out our latest issue on the 'body' with a look at tattoos, sex and more - back pages tell how to get involved.

See our previous five issues at: https://yestolife.org.uk/flourish-magazine/