Diet and Stress Reduction in Recurrent Prostate Cancer

University Of California, San Diego, La Jolla CA

Investigators

Linked publications & trials

Abstract

[unreadable] DESCRIPTION (provided by applicant): One man in six in the U.S. will develop prostate cancer in his lifetime, and about one third of treated patients will experience a relapse (marked by a rising PSA level) after surgery or radiation. While hormone therapy can temporarily palliate symptoms and may slightly extend survival in advanced disease, no curative therapy exists at this stage. However, a number of documented "best cases" provide evidence of remission of metastatic prostate cancer after adoption of plant-based diets, often in tandem with body-mind stress reduction approaches. A growing scientific literature suggests that dietary factors play an important etiological role, particularly in the later phases of tumor promotion and progression, perhaps mediated by endocrine or immune modulation. Our preliminary data suggest that an intensive program of diet modification, coupled with stress reduction to enhance dietary adherence and reduce anxiety, simultaneously reduces the rate of disease progression (as assessed by change in the rate of PSA increase), induces healthy weight reduction, and enhances quality of life in relapsed patients. The proposed career development award (CDA) incorporates, at its core, a research plan to build on these pilot data by conducting a larger and more rigorous randomized trial of this approach in recurrent prostate cancer. Other elements of the CDA include: (1) didactic coursework in behavioral modification, clinical trial design and conduct, database management, and ethical conduct of research; (2) hands-on experience in multicenter research by serving as a University of California, San Diego (UCSD) representative and Site Director for a CALGB cooperative group study of a similar diet-cancer intervention; (3) primary mentorship offering expertise and resources in behavior change as well as in multicenter diet and cancer intervention research; and (4) participation in a rich academic environment that provides access to extensive research resources offered by the UCSD Clinical Research Center, Cancer Center, and School of Medicine. [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable] [unreadable]