Coffee might give some men an edge battling prostate cancer
For some men battling prostate cancer, coffee may provide not only a quick pick-me-up, but also a longer life span.
Research is still in its infancy, but a new study finds a correlation between a genotype that rapidly metabolizes caffeine and longer prostate cancer survival. This genotype is referred to as CYP1A2 AA.
“I’m very enthusiastic about this work because we’re continually delving deeper. I believe it contains some really intriguing findings that suggest there may be something here. The impact of coffee on people’s lives, particularly those who have been diagnosed with cancer, must be investigated in greater depth “said lead author of the study, Dr. Justin Gregg. He is a urologic oncologist at the MD Anderson Cancer Center of the University of Texas in Houston.
Gregg stated that one of the most common inquiries he receives in his line of work is how cancer can be slowed or even prevented.
Gregg stated that while there is a great deal of interest in how diet and physical activity affect cancer risk, there are few specific recommendations, especially for patients who have already been diagnosed with cancer.
Previous research on coffee’s potential health benefits and antioxidants that may affect inflammation has made it an intriguing topic. Gregg stated that he was further intrigued by a study that compared the rate at which various genotypes metabolize caffeine.
This new study included prostate cancer case data from the PRACTICAL Consortium, an acronym for Prostate Cancer Association Group to Investigate Cancer-Associated Alterations in the Genome. More than 5,700 cases from seven studies were included.
Patients included those on active surveillance, in which their cancer is not treated while it is monitored for change; those who received treatment for prostate cancer; and some patients with metastatic cancer.
Patients were asked to recall their own food and beverage consumption, and data came from seven different sites where patients were asked to recall consumption from varying time periods.
The researchers compared coffee consumption levels, such as those with a high intake of two or more cups per day to those with a low intake of three or more cups per week.
The researchers discovered that men with the CYP1A2 AA genotype who drank a lot of coffee had a longer survival rate from prostate cancer.
