Dr. Stacy Loeb now answers questions from the Text Tom club.
Q: Is there such a thing as a prostate massage?
A: Prostate massage is sometimes used for the diagnosis of prostatitis. Urine is collected before and after prostate massage to check for signs of inflammation or infection.
Q: My friend was just diagnosed with prostate cancer. Is there a holistic treatment he can try?
A: The treatment options for prostate cancer depend upon the tumor features (such as stage and grade) as well as the age, general health and preferences of the patient. Low-risk cancers may not require upfront treatment and may be managed with active surveillance, whereas treatment is typically recommended for intermediate or high-risk cancers. Unfortunately there is no holistic cure for prostate cancer. However, a healthy diet and exercise is a very important adjunct to go along with any type of prostate cancer treatment.
Q: Please ask the doctor if the level of sexual activity has a bearing on prostate health?
A: A recent study suggested that men who had a greater number of ejaculations per month were less likely to develop prostate cancer. Follow-up studies are underway to examine the effect of ejaculation on prostate cancer tissue and whether it has a direct effect, or whether men in the previous study with more ejaculation were healthier in some other way that was beneficial to the prostate.
Q: I’ve had the surgery, in fact tomorrow makes a year. What are the chances of it returning?
A: The risk of recurrence depends on the stage and grade of the cancer. It is important to continue checking the PSA blood test to make sure there is no recurrence.
