BEAUMONT STUDIES ROLE OF DIET IN PROSTATE CANCER PROGRESSION

Men with prostate cancer on active surveillance needed as research volunteers

Can diet alter disease progression in men with prostate cancer? Investigators at Beaumont Health System are seeking men diagnosed with prostate cancer who have been placed on active surveillance, also known as watchful waiting, for participation in a national research trial. Researchers will study the effectiveness of a diet high in vegetables in slowing the disease’s progression.

“The goal of the Men’s Eating And Living study is to evaluate the feasibility of a diet-based intervention in men with prostate cancer. It is our hope that the study will shed new light on the effectiveness of the diet,” says Howard Korman, M.D., local trial principal investigator for Beaumont Community Clinical Oncology Program. “Most patients would rather be proactive in their treatment as opposed to a ‘wait and see’ approach. This study gives them the opportunity to do just that.”

Will a diet high in vegetables slow the disease’s progression?

This is a randomized trial, which means participants will be put into one of two groups by chance. One group will receive the MEAL study intervention. This includes: ongoing telephone counseling; increased intake of whole grains and bean/legumes; a notebook with written material describing the counseling program; and newsletters focusing on study goals and tips on achieving and maintaining diet change. The other group will receive standard United States Department of Agriculture dietary guidelines and newsletters containing general information about diet and maintaining a healthy lifestyle.

The study is funded by a National Cancer Institute Cooperative Group Research Base - CALGB (Cancer and Leukemia Group B). Nationwide, only 464 volunteers are being recruited for the study. Beaumont is seeking 50 men to participate. Because space is limited, interested patients should contact Martin Carey in Beaumont’s Cancer Clinical Trials Office at 248-551-8276 as soon as possible.

To be eligible for the study, individuals must:

• be 50-80 years of age
• have never been treated with surgery, radiation or hormones
• have a PSA less than 10 ng/mL
• have a Gleason score of 6 or less (if under age 70) or 7 or less (if age 70 or older). The Gleason Grading system is used to help evaluate the prognosis of men with prostate cancer. Together with other parameters, it is incorporated into a strategy of prostate cancer staging which predicts prognosis and helps guide therapy.
• have no other form of cancer
• be able to read, speak and comprehend English
• be willing to complete periodic questionnaires and study diaries
• see a urologist four times per year for two years

According to the National Cancer Institute at the National Institutes of Health, prostate cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among men in the United States. Approximately 192,000 new cases were identified in 2009.

Beaumont’s comprehensive cancer program combines the expertise of surgical, medical and radiation oncologists to offer cancer prevention counseling, diagnosis and treatment in hospital and community-based settings. The Beaumont Cancer Institute is one of only 47 Community Clinical Oncology Programs in the country designated by the National Cancer Institute to provide patients with access to leading-edge cancer clinical research trials. Beaumont is designated as a Blue Cross Center of Distinction for the Treatment of Rare and Complex Cancers.

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