According to your urologist Des Moines a new study revealed that drinking coffee can prevent prostate cancer from recurring and even progressing in some cases. It’s one of the first times this connection has been made, and the study is part of an effort to determine whether coffee and caffeine can reduce the risk for a variety of cancers.
The study didn’t examine the risk of developing prostate cancer, but it did look at a group of men who were previously diagnosed with prostate cancer and followed them to see whether their pattern of coffee or tea consumption – or both – were related to their risk of having their prostate cancer relapse or advance.
Following are some answers to the most frequently asked questions your urologist Des Moines receives on this topic.
Q: Does this mean prostate cancer survivors should start drinking a lot of coffee?
A: Not necessarily. In fact, there was a significant decline in risk of recurrence in men who drank only one cup a day. So a man would not need to drink a large amount of coffee per day to benefit from its potential chemo-preventive effects.
Q: Does tea consumption also influence the risk of prostate cancer recurrence?
A: For tea consumption, there was no association with prostate cancer recurrence. One reason is that tea has a much lower level of caffeine than coffee, and it also contains different chemical components that do not overlap with those found in coffee.
Q: How can anyone explain coffee’s preventive effect on prostate cancer recurrence?
A: Caffeine has been shown to reduce the increase and spreading of cancer cells. Also, some substances found in coffee have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant benefits, which would be beneficial in terms of chemo-prevention activity.
Q: Were there any potential negative health effects among men who drank four or more cups of coffee per day?
A: Coffee consumption for some men may not be recommended based on their medical history. Men who suffer from high cholesterol, high blood pressure or cardiac arrhythmias may be advised by their urologist Des Moines not to consume excessive amounts of coffee.
Q: Could drinking coffee actually prevent prostate cancer in the first place?
A: Some studies have shown a beneficial effect and some have shown no association. But we’re finding that factors involved in developing cancer are not necessarily involved in encouraging or preventing the cancer from recurring or advancing.
If you have questions about prostate cancer Des Moines residents typically rely on Dr. Fawad Zafar. Call our office today to schedule an appointment.