A new study said bacteria in your gut could cause prostate cancers to grow and even make them resistant to treatment. Fortunately, scientists state the discovery is leading to new treatments to improve gut health.
The Theory
The problem is with advanced stage cancers and androgen levels. Most doctors use hormone therapy for
advanced prostate cancer treatments. It lowers androgen levels. However, decreasing androgen levels prompts certain bacteria to grow in the gut and they create more androgens and hormones that promote cancer growth.
This makes the cancer resistant to treatment because the additional hormones make treatment ineffective, no matter how low the androgen levels go.
Prostate Cancer Foundation, the Prostate Cancer Uk, The John Black Charitable Foundation, Cancer Research UK and Movember funded the study that was published in the journal Science.
Good Bacteria
The bacteria in your stomach that affects cancer isn’t the “good bacteria.” Adding more probiotics is one
element of treatment doctors are looking at in cancer theraputics..
New Treatment
More studies are planned on how to manipulate a man’s microbiome. Gut bacteria are part of our
microbiome and most are valuable to a person’s health. However, something like cancer upsets the balance and can turn bacteria into toxin producers.
Understanding the role gut bacteria plays in cancer spreading is leading scientists to use bacterial
`fingerprints’ to find patients with the greatest risk of treatment resistance. These men can be helped by
manipulating microbiomes with techniques like drinking a yogurt drink with good bacteria or getting a faecal transplant.
Some scientists working with mice found that ridding the animals of all gut bacteria slowed the growth of
tumors and delayed hormone resistance.
Conclusion
Men who are considering undergoing prostate cancer treatment should inquire about how their gut health affects treatment and prognosis. Questions should include your risk for resistance and whether gut health diets and supplements can help with treatment.
