By Dr. Myron Murdock Medical Director

Prostate cancer is the second most common cause of deaths by cancer among men in the United States. There are 180,000 new cases diagnosed annually and 35,000 to 50,000 men die each year from this disease.

In men 70 year or older, the disease is usually not as virulent and can frequently be treated by watchful waiting or a non-surgical approach. In younger men, some younger than 40, the disease appears to be more aggressive and the treatment itself needs to be more aggressive to include surgery, radiation or surgery and radiation in combination with hormonal manipulation. The side effects include a low incidence of urinary control problems and a very high incidence of erectile dysfunction.

Rather than needing to have surgery or radiation therapy and worrying about the potential complications to cure one's prostate cancer it would behoove men to concentrate on increasing their chances of preventing prostate cancer by following simple dietary, herbal and lifestyle techniques.

Green tea is the traditional beverage of Japan and China and appears to reduce cancer in general including prostate cancer. Green tea contains an antioxidant called EGCG that not only kills prostate cancer cells in test tubes, but appears to inhibit enzymes that promote prostate and breast cancer. Substitute green tea for coffee, black tea or colas. Decaffeinated green tea is also available and still retains its antioxidant affect.