LIFEBUOYthe

Dear Readers

What a year! 2008 has been very busy with many events taking place to raise awareness of prostate cancer. Each year appears to be getting busier with fundraising events which allow ongoing research into the disease, public awareness campaigns and educational seminars. The Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia is doing a brilliant job in the organisation of these events. It has been wonderful to see many of the Vinnies men supporting these events by attending the conferences in Newcastle and on the Gold Coast, Table 4 Ten dinner and even growing their moustaches for Movember. Well done!

Once again our last support group meeting was well attended. Kathy Chapman from Cancer Council NSW gave an informative talk on nutrition and prostate cancer. A copy of her presentation is inside the newsletter as requested. In 2009 we are hoping to increase our meetings to 5 for the year. Please note the dates, as the scheduling of these vary compared to previous years to accommodate the extra meeting, holiday periods and also the availability of the function room.

The first meeting is on Wednesday February 4th. Dr Michael Lowy and Dr Rob King - Men’s Health Physicians - will give an update on treatments for sexual dysfunction following treatment for prostate cancer and health check for men. Other guest speakers for the year include A/Prof Phillip Stricker, giving an update on the future in prostate cancer, researchers from the Garvan Institute regarding what exciting new developments are happening in the area of research and an update on some of the studies that are being undertaken here at St Vincent’s. Dr Joe Enis has offered to speak on his journey with prostate cancer. Many of you may remember “Joe’s Story” in issue 3 2007 of Lifebuoy which readers found very interesting and inspiring. So as you can see we have some great topics which will ensure that the meetings will be interesting and educational. As always I hope many of you will join us!

Cancer Council NSW is seeking prostate cancer survivors to help build their peer support program. In particular men who have undergone robot assisted radical prostatectomy surgery. More information about the program is in the article on the last page of this newsletter.

I would like to thank everyone who has helped throughout the year especially those involved with the support group, the making of the various DVD’s and all those men who have been willing to speak with other men who have been recently diagnosed with prostate cancer to help them through their journey. I hope you all have a wonderful festive season and good wishes & health for 2009.

Jayne MatthewsCo-ordinator St Vincent’s Prostate Cancer Centre

St Vincent’s HospitalProstate Cancer Support Group

affiliated with the

Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia

I S S U E 3 2 0 0 8

n Wednesday February 4thn Tuesday March 31stn Wednesday June 10thn Wednesday August 27thn Wednesday November 4th

7pm to 9pmLevel 4 Function Room St Vincent’s Clinic438 Victoria StreetDarlinghurst

Support Group Meetings 2009

by Kathy ChapmanAccredited Practicing Dietician and Nutrition Program Manager forCancer Council New South Wales

Healthy Eating and Prostate Cancer

Good Nutrition During Cancer

Helps patients to cope better with treatment

Assists wound healing

Immune Function

Maintains weight and muscle mass

Makes you feel better

Less time in hospital

Some common nutrition problems that may occur during cancer

treatment

Poor appetiteWeight loss

Weight gainNausea &/or vomitingDiarrhoea &/or constipation

Taste changesSore mouth

This booklet

provides advice on

the common diet

problems that

occur during

cancer treatment

General Advice

Frequent, small mealsRemember – appetite is often better in the morningIncrease protein and calories if appetite poorSmall amounts of liquids with mealsAvoid strong odours & cooking smellsRelax at mealtimes

Eat more Fruit & Vegetables

5 serves of vegetables / day2 serves of fruit / dayVariety is important

Choose a variety of colours !

WHITE

ALLIUM group:

Onion, garlic, leek,

shallot, chives

RED/YELLOW/

ORANGE

Red capsicum,

tomatoes, carrots, sweet

potato, pumpkin

GREEN LEAFY

Spinach, silverbeet,

lettuce

GREEN CRUCIFEROUS

Broccoli, cauliflower,

cabbage,brussel

sprouts, bok choy

YELLOW/ORANGE

Mango, rockmelon, paw

paw, apricot, peach

RED/PURPLE

Berries, red cabbage,

beetroot, eggplant

Fruit & Vegetables vs.Vitamin Pills

No evidence to suggest that vitamin pills are better than fruit and vegetables

Lycopenes

“Probable” evidence to suggest that foods containing lycopenes are beneficial

Tips for Eating More Fruit & Vegetables

Enjoy fruit as a snack or dessert

Add fruit to brekky cereal

Have at least 3 different coloured veges at

dinner

Fill half your dinner plate with veges

Include salad at lunch

Add extra veges to mince dishes

Frozen and canned are fine to use

Try a fruit smoothie and veges can be pureed into soups

Selenium & Cancer Prevention

• Some weak evidence to suggest that selenium may protect against prostate cancer• But the SELECT Trial showed that neither selenium or Vit E supplements were protective against prostate cancer

Dairy Foods & Calcium

Some evidence that suggests that high consumption of dairy foods increases the risk of prostate cancer (esp advanced prostate cancer)

Benefits of Physical Activity

�Boost energy levels�Improves fatigue

�↓ Heart disease & diabetes

�Relieve stress�Lower anxiety and depression

�And some evidence that exercise improves survival from cancer

Be Physically Active

May have specific rehabilitation needsPA guidelines – 30 minutes of moderateintensity exercise on at least 5 days perweekGood to include some weight bearing exercise, as well as “huff and puff” exercise

Prostate Cancer Trial

RCT by Ornish et alMen with early prostate cancer (biopsy and raise PSA) who chose not to have treatment (watch and wait)80 patients randomised to lifestyle (experimental) group vs. usual treatment (control) group

Ornish D. Weidner G. Fair WR. et al. Journal of Urology.

2005;174(3):1065-9

Prostate Cancer Trial

Vegetarian diet– Fruits, vegetables, whole grains, legumes and soy

– 10% calories from fat

– Supplemented by soy (tofu), fish oil (3gm daily), vitamin E (400IU daily), selenium (200mcg daily), vitamin C (2gm daily)

Exercise– Walking 30min 6 x weekly

Stress management– Gentle yoga, meditation, breathing

Support group 1 hour weekly

Ornish D. Weidner G. Fair WR. et al. Journal of Urology.

2005;174(3):1065-9

PSA Readings

Mean changes in

PSA (ng/ml) after

1 year

PSA decreased

by 4% in

experimental

group and

increased by 6%

in control group

(p=0.016) Ornish D. Weidner G. Fair WR. et al. Journal of

Urology. 2005;174(3):1065-9

Level of Lifestyle Change and PSA

Ornish D. Weidner G. Fair WR. et al. Journal of Urology.

2005;174(3):1065-9

Complementary Therapies:Used with conventional treatments & are unlikely to do any harm.Don’t cure the cancer but may help you to cope better and feel well

Alternative Therapies:Used instead of conventional treatmentMay be dangerousNot scientifically tested

Alternative Diet Therapies

There are no special foods or diets scientifically proven to cure cancerBe careful of exaggerated claims of curing cancerMany alternative diets cut out food groups and do not provide enough energy and protein May lead to weight loss, fatigue, decreased immune function

Alternative Diet Therapies

Before making changes to your food choices, ask:

Does the diet contain foods from the 5 food groups?

Can you stay at a healthy weight with this diet?

Will the diet interfere with your medical treatment?

Does the diet claim to have unrealistic results?

Is the diet a big change to what you normally eat?

How much time, effort and money is needed?

Make sure the changes you make will benefit your body during

treatment

What the studies say …For cancer recurrence, overall survival

and quality of life -

Evidence of probable benefit of:

– Aiming for a healthy weight after treatment

– Increasing physical activity

– Limiting saturated fat intake

Evidence of possible benefit of:

– Increasing fruit and vegetable intake

Tips for Living Well

Maintain a healthy body weightBe physically active

Eat more vegetables and fruitLimit or avoid alcoholDon’t smoke

Robotic Surgery UpdateRecently, the St Vincent’s Private Hospital Robotic Surgery Program celebrated its 500th robotic procedure. The program was established in December 2005, initially with Cardiac surgery, quickly followed in February 2006 with the Urology team commencing surgery for prostate cancer sufferers. The daVinci Surgical System® is an integral part of this program.

St Vincent’s Private Hospital and the Urologists from St Vincent’s Clinic remain the only facility in New South Wales to offer this technology. Benefits for this technology allow for a minimally invasive approach, which has been very difficult to perform via traditional laparoscopic surgery techniques. Five 1cm incisions and one 3 to 4cm incision are made on the abdomen to enable the surgery to take place. The daVinci Surgical System® enables the surgeon to see the inside of the abdomen using 3D technology, the instruments are able to rotate much like that of the human wrist, and this enables access to difficult areas of the human body such as the pelvis.

Within Australia, over 2800 procedures have been undertaken using this technology. Of these, 465 prostatectomy procedures have been performed by the Urologists at St Vincent’s Private Hospital using the daVinci Surgical System®. Prostate surgery accounts for the vast majority of procedures used with the daVinci Surgical System®. An average of 30 radical prostatectomies are now performed each month at St Vincent’s Private Hospital using this state-of-the-art technology. Further information can be obtained by consulting with the Urologists from St Vincent’s Clinic.

Vicky WaghorneRobotic Nurse SpecialistSt Vincent’s Private Hospital

PCFA Gold Coast ConferenceThe Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia inaugural conference held at the Gold Coast was one of the greatest experiences in my life and that of wife Sandra. The conference focussed on Men’s Health awareness, support that is available and the ongoing need for quality research to beat cancer, depression and other men’s health issues. Speakers included prostate cancer survivors and health care professionals from all over Australia and overseas. Speeches were brilliant, often humorous, and some were interactive. We came away wanting to “Make a Difference” by making men realise that they are not 10ft tall and bulletproof, and a PSA blood test and DRE are not things from the dark ages to be feared. In the short time there we “Made a Difference” in the lives of 3 guys under the age of 50. And if all of the 500 or so people who were at the conference can do this... WOW!!!

I am sure that all participants thought it a very worthwhile experience and that it was a ‘must’ for next year.

Bob & Sandra DennisonRaymond Terrace

Garvan Open DayThe Garvan Institute held its first Open Day on Sunday 17th August 2008. A day where the public could learn about the latest breakthroughs in medical research from our scientists. The Prostate Cancer group had a busy day promoting their scientific and clinical research. Current areas of research are: Research in localised prostate cancerIn 2006, the prostate cancer group discovered that men with low levels of a marker called AZGP1 in the prostate at the time of surgery (radical prostatectomy) have a greatly increased risk of metastatic disease. This research project focuses on the role of AZGP1 in prostate cancer outcomes and the ability to determine if AZGP1 levels can be measured in pre-operative biopsy samples.

Research in hormone refractory prostate cancerIn the advanced stages of prostate cancer (called hormone refractory prostate cancer) where men have gone through almost all treatment options there is only one chemotherapy agent proven to improve both symptoms and survival rates - Docetaxel (Taxotere). Unfortunately only 40% of patients respond to this treatment and there can be significant side effects. This project aims to identify markers in blood plasma to predict response to Docetaxel treatment which will allow better patient selection for this treatment.

Clinical research in Quality of life (QoL) outcomes in patients undergoing emerging techniques for prostate cancerThe primary aim of this study is to examine prospectively the QoL outcomes in patients undergoing each of the treatment modalities for localised prostate cancer and analyse their impact on patient preference for a particular technique. Many of you helped this study by completing QoL questionnaires before and after your treatment. The open day drew a large crowd of approximately 1000 people. The prostate cancer booth was voted the most popular on the day due to its interactive displays. These included looking at prostatic tissue (benign & malignant) under the microscope and feeling the prostate via the digital rectal exam simulator as well as the informative handouts available. The organisers deemed the Garvan Open Day a wonderful success and it is hoped that this will be become an annual event.

Anne Maree HaynesClinical Research Co-ordinator - Garvan Institute

Prostate cancer is the most common malignancy and a major cause of cancer death in men, in Western societies. Current management strategies for early prostate cancer include active surveillance, surgery (radical prostatectomy), and radiotherapy (external beam therapy or brachytherapy, or both).

Brachytherapy utilises transrectal ultransonography to guide small encapsulated radioactive pellets into the prostate gland via needle punctures. This allows doses of radiation to be delivered directly into the prostate while limiting the radiation exposure of adjacent organs.

It has been 11 years since the commencement of Brachytherapy at St Vincent’s Private Hospital. Approximately 400 patients have undergone this treatment since February 1997. We have collected comprehensive clinical-follow data on all of these patients, which include the Gleason scores, stage and PSA. Analyses on PSA data are being performed by myself and Dr Paul Chen to determine the success of this treatment which appears excellent.

Besides looking at the success of this treatment, we at the St Vincent’s Prostate Cancer Centre are also interested in the quality of life of Brachytherapy patients. I have recently undertaken a Quality of Life Survey collection on all patients. This will allow us to capture a cross-sectional snapshot of how the patients are doing after Brachytherapy. Important patient data such as general well-being, sexual, bowel and urinary functions will be available after the completion of the study, allowing patients to make a better informed decision on their treatment options.

Vivenna OngResearch Assistant

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Please return to: St Vincent’s Prostate Cancer CentreSt Vincent’s ClinicSuite 508 - 438 Darlinghurst StreetDarlinghurst NSW 2010or email: jmatthews@stvincents.com.au

Cancer Council NSW provides a one-to-one peer support program (Cancer Council Connect) for patients diagnosed with cancer, where they are linked with someone who has had the same type of cancer and undergone similar treatment. The service is free, confidential and accessible to anyone in NSW. Research has shown that people who have cancer can benefit from talking to people who have also been diagnosed, and that this support can be a valuable adjunct to their medical care. An individual who has personally experienced cancer is uniquely able to understand the concerns, frustrations and fears of someone else in a similar situation. Cancer Council Connect provides this personal interaction through carefully selected and trained volunteers.

Cancer Council Connect is an evolutionary development of The Breast Cancer Support Service (BCSS). The BCSS was developed in Australia as an adaptation of the Reach to Recovery program, which was started by Therese Lasser in New York in 1952. Since that time, Reach to Recovery, and its Australian equivalent has grown to be widely accepted and highly regarded by women and men diagnosed with cancer and health professionals around the world.

In 1975 a group of Australian women under the auspices of the Australian Cancer Society (Cancer Council Australia) formed the Mastectomy Rehabilitation Service and began offering practical information to women newly diagnosed with breast cancer in NSW. Since 1984 Cancer Council NSW has managed this service and renamed it the Breast Cancer Support Service (BCSS). The service has undergone further enhancements and expanded to include other cancer sites and has been renamed Cancer Council Connect. CCC aims to provide one-to-one non-judgemental emotional support and practical information to people who have cancer and to reduce the practical, social, family and psychological impacts of cancer diagnosis and treatment.

Lisa HumphriesTelephone 02 9334 1919 or email lhumphries@nswcc.org.auProgram CoordinatorCancer Council Connect

“I’ve had prostate cancer too”Cancer Council Connect is looking for volunteers.

Are you 1 – 3 years past your own prostate cancer treatment?

Do you have an interest in supporting others with a recent diagnosis over the phone one-to-one?

Cancer Council Connect is a free peer support program providing hope and support to the newly diagnosed.

Cancer Council Connect volunteers are offered training and support and do not need to have had any prior experience in peer support.

Please call Lisa Humphries on 9334 1919 or email lhumphries@nswcc.org.au if you would like to learn more about becoming a Cancer Council Connect volunteer.

Are You Interested in Helping Others ?Low-dose Iodine Seed Brachytherapy at St Vincent’s Private Hospital