A "worrying" variation in prostate cancer treatments has been found across the country. What can you do to help reduce the probability of developing prostate cancer?

Thousands of men are missing out on the best treatment for prostate cancer, according to a project that found a “worryingly vast variation” in the availability of treatments.



The first national audit of prostate cancer found that four out of five hospitals trying to treat the disease do not have the most advanced radiotherapy, a quarter are without crucial scans and half do not offer dedicated help for common side-effects.

No one wants to have to face the big C. However, although causes of the disease are not yet fully understood, making it an extremely difficult to prevent, there are certain lifestyle choices that scientists believe may reduce the probability of developing prostate cancer.


1) Eat more fruit, vegetables and fish

A lower rate of prostate cancer in East Asian countries where the diet contains more fruit vegetables and fish than in the UK indicates that a healthy diet can help prevent the appearance of cancer. When men from Asian countries such as Japan emigrate to where the average diet includes fewer fruit and vegetables, they become just as likely to develop the cancer as Western men. A balanced diet containing plenty of fruit and vegetables, as well as soy foods and pulses and tomatoes is recommended to help prevent cancer.

2) Replace English tea with green tea

Whether green tea helps protect against prostate cancer is still a matter of debate.Replacing potentially dangerous English tea with potentially beneficial green tea may help. It is recommended that you drink six or seven cups of green tea a day, brewing each cup for around five minutes.

3) Reduce your intake of meat, dairy, sugar, fat and processed foods

Men who eat a lot of red meat or high-fat dairy products appear to have a higher chance of getting prostate cancer. It is believed that these foods affect the levels of hormone in the body and can encourage tumour growth.

4) Reduce your alcohol intake

Scientists continue to disagree over whether the consumption of alcohol has any specific impact on men with prostate cancer. However, drinking large quantities of alcohol can contribute to health and weight problems, increasing the probability of developing heart disease and some other cancers. And some studies have shown that drinking more than two drinks a day can heighten the risk of prostate cancer.

5) Exercise

It is believed that vigorous activity can reduce the risk of prostate cancer. 30 minutes of moderate exercise, five times a week or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise a week is recommended to help keep you healthy and stave off the probability of prostate cancer.

6) Have lots of sex

A study has shown that heterosexual intercourse protects men from prostate cancer. Their research indicated that those who had slept with more than 20 women were likely to have more sex than those in monogamous relationships, and were therefore 19 per cent less likely to develop the most aggressive form of prostate cancer. For homosexual men, the study showed that the benefits of regular, promiscuous sex was lost due to the increased risk of contracting a sexually transmitted disease, and the damage to their bodies from intercourse.

7) Maintain a healthy weight

Being overweight or obese has been linked to a higher risk of developing prostate cancer and may mean that treatments such as surgery and radiotherapy have a reduced impact. Maintaining a healthy weight through regular exercise and a healthy diet reduces the probability of developing prostate cancer.