Facts about Prostate Cancer

IN THE NEWS:
Former President Joe Biden Has Prostate Cancer

According to a statement from his personal office, President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread to his bones. A spokesperson for Biden says the former president was recently evaluated for a “small nodule” discovered on his prostate.

CNN’s Jake Tapper takes a closer look at the condition and how to treat it with Yale Cancer Center’s Chief of Genitorinary Oncology, Dr Daniel Petrylak.

CANCER:
Important Facts About Prostate Cancer

Prostate cancer is the second most common cancer in men, affecting one in eight men in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society.

Statistics also show more than 33,000 men die each year from prostate cancer. It’s important to note that these statistics may vary depending on factors such as age, race and family history.

USA Today explains what you need to know about the disease - here. 

CANCER:
Energy Drink Additive Linked To Leukemia

A team of researchers at the University of Rochester Medical Center (UR Medicine) have linked the amino acid taurine, found in energy drinks, to being a fuel source for driving cancers such as leukemia. Taurine also occurs naturally in the body plus in foods like fish and meat.

The researchers analyzed the behavior of leukemia cells, finding that they could borrow taurine from surrounding bone marrow and use it to grow more quickly. Basically, it gives these cells a growth jolt. However, in mice models it was found that if the taurine was blocked, cancer growth slowed.

Supplementation, through sources such as energy drinks, that the researchers are worried about. Further investigation is needed but for now its believed that giving the body extra taurine might not be the best idea.

INFECTIOUS DISEASES:
How to Remove Ticks and Avoid Lyme Disease

Tick bite season in the U.S. varies by region by generally spans from early spring through late fall, with peak tick activity from April to September. In warmer climates, ticks can be active year-round as long as temperatures remain above freezing.

Columbia University’s Rafal Tokarz, PhD, assistant professor of epidemiology at the Mailman School of Public Health, has expertise in tick-borne pathogens and diseases. Drawing on years of research and field experience, Dr. Tokarz shares his own strategies for protecting himself, his family and his pets from ticks. 

Read his suggestions here.