U.S. Rep. Mark Takai dies after a nine month battle with pancreatic Cancer

picture of former Representative Mark Takai. U.S. Prepresentative Mark Takai dies from pancreatic cancer. Early detection is critical in all cancers. read more

How to handle prostate cancer recurrence

Cancer cell How to handle prostate cancer recurrence Prostate cancer recurrence is the most common question we receive here at the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project. Unfortunately, there is no simple answer. The chances of your prostate cancer returning depend on your particular prostate cancer and the circumstances of your diagnosis and treatment.   The article below, from the Harvard prostate knowledge center, provides a great deal of insight. I found it personally very helpful. Marc B. Garnick, M.D., discusses what biochemical recurrence means and what your options are “Am I going to die?” This is the first question a patient usually asks me when a follow-up blood test reveals that his prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level has risen after he has already undergone treatment for prostate cancer (usually a radical prostatectomy or radiation therapy). The fear is understandable: When PSA levels rise to a certain threshold after prostate cancer treatment, the patient has suffered what is known technically as a biochemical recurrence, sometimes also referred to as a biochemical relapse or stage D1.5 disease. Whatever term is used, it means that prostate cancer remains within the prostate after radiation therapy, that it survived outside the excised area after radical prostatectomy, or that it […] read more

Racing for Prostate Cancer 2016 – Sitrep 1*

picture of Mazda MX-5 Racing for Prostate Cancer 2016 – Year 2 by Robert Warren Hess Johan Schwartz raced last year on the Pirelli World Tour for prostate cancer awareness and the Prostate Cancer Awareness Project is pleased to support Johan and his team for 2016. Johan will be racing a Honda Civic on TCA class at Circuit of the Americas on March 4th. You can watch the race live at http://world-challenge.com/race/2016-03-03-cota/. Win your own race against prostate cancer by having a simple PSA blood test every year beginning at age 35 and recording and tracking the results at ProstateTracker.org. Mazda Motor Sports Steps Up to Help Stop Cancer! Surviving cancer means finding it early and doing everything within in your personal control to prevent the cancer from spreading or recurring. The key factors in beating cancer are early detection and knowledge, and that’s where our race program comes in. At right is the picture of the Mazda MX-5 that PCAP Founder Robert Warren Hess has donated for our SCCA cancer prevention racing program.  The car will receive a cancer prevention wrap and will compete on the local SCCA circuit in California, road rallies, and this summer at Solo Pro Nationals in Lincoln, Nebraska. You […] read more

How to Use Your Office Time to Stay Fit

PCAP Founder and CEO Robert Warren Hess figures out how to clear email while training for his cycling trip around the world. read more

Two Simple Ways to Reduce Your Prostate Cancer Risk in 2016

PCAP Founder Robert Warren Hess Why Losing 10 Pounds is One of My Key Anti-Cancer Goals for 2016 January is the month we all make New Year’s resolutions that are important to us. If you are a prostate cancer survivor, or a cancer survivor of any type, modifying your health habits can have a profound effect on your cancer outcome and your quality of life. American Cancer Society research shows that fully one third of all cancers are related to poor eating habits and lack of exercise. I started riding my bicycle again right after my treatment for prostate cancer in May 2003, and bicycling has been a key element of my personal cancer battle plan every since. Since my treatment in May of 2003, I have risen 27,318.28 miles, more than once around the world at the equator, and climbed almost 600,000 vertical feet. This equates to 1,238,428 calories burned, or 353.84 pounds of fat. The results? I dropped from 165 lb. to an almost optimal weight of 150 lb., felt better, slept better, and earned two Southern California state cycling championships in track riding at the velodrome. More importantly, my PSA stayed in the .02 – .06 range for that entire period. Bad Luck […] read more

Where You Live Affects Your Prostate Cancer Risk

How Can You Know if You are at Risk for Prostate Cancer? You Can Quantify Your Prostate Cancer Risk Prostate cancer takes the life of an American man every 17 minutes. But, only 1 in 6 men will have prostate cancer and only 1 in 15 men will die of the disease. The question you need to ask is “will it be you?” I served two tours of duty in Vietnam and I never knew if any particular day would be my day to die. The risk was there every day but there wasn’t any way to quantify that risk; to know where the enemy would be. The same holds true for our troops currently serving overseas. Prostate cancer has killed more men than have died in all of our wars combined, more than 1.4 million men. But with the help of government statistics you can begin to quantify your prostate cancer risk and do something about it. The map at right shows the incidence of prostate cancer in the US; light blue is low and red is high. Click on the image to visit a website that will allow you to look at prostate cancer incidence rates right down […] read more

Medicare Approves New Tool for Prostate Cancer Recurrence Assessment

Medicare Now Covers Oncotype DX Testing Oncotype DX is a genomic test that can help predict near- and long-term outcomes in prostate cancer. About half of all men diagnosed with prostate cancer could be treated with active surveillance for a period of time. The Oncotype DX test is a genomic test that can help in determining the aggressiveness of a prostate cancer case and it’s likelihood of recurrence after treatment. “More than 220,000 men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year in the United States alone. The Medicare coverage decision extends reimbursement for Oncotype DX testing to prostate cancer patients defined as low- and very low-risk by the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN), who are eligible based on clinical and pathological factors such as prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and Gleason score.” The effective date for Medicare coverage will be after the 45-day notice period according to Palmetto GBA’s process. This should be sometime near the end of September 2015. Prostate Cancer’s Enigma Science is learning more about prostate cancer all of the time, but there still are many unknowns. With more than 20 different varieties of prostate cancer, the biggest challenge is determining which are the aggressive types that claim the lives of […] read more

Will Your Prostate Cancer Recur?

Cancer cell Decipher prostate cancer classifier predicts the aggressiveness of prostate cancer and it's likelihood of recurrence. read more

Inspirational Video About Prostate Cancer Survivor Steve Cooper

We recently shared this extremely inspiring video on our Facebook page about Steve “Radioactive Ironman” Cooper, a board member of ZERO – The End of Prostate Cancer. It’s too good not to share again on our blog. The video was originally posted by ZERO. Steve Cooper was diagnosed with prostate cancer in December 2012 with a PSA score of 50 and a Gleason 4/4 at all 12 biopsy sites. Steve was only given six months to live. His case was ruled inoperable by the VA. This bleak diagnosis prompted him to seek out other options in the private sector. He had a radical prostatectomy in January of 2013.  Steve rode 118 miles on his bicycle to Tucson only 88 days after surgery.  Just a few weeks later, he ran a marathon in his army uniform. Steve’s “never quit” attitude can be linked back to his lengthy career in the U.S. Army. Today, he is the CEO of Today’s Campus media company.  He has also started a program called VeteransBootCamp.com. This program helps veterans secure careers at no cost to them. We salute Steve Cooper for his never quit attitude! You can find out more about Steve by visiting his Facebook […] read more

It’s Minority Health Month: Men Get Tested for Prostate Cancer

National Minority Health Month April is National Minority Health Month presented by the Office of Minority Health.  This year they celebrate 30 Years of Advancing Health Equity. This office addresses disease prevention, health promotion, risk reduction, healthier lifestyle choices, use of health care services and barriers to health care for racial and ethnic minorities. This month we would like to bring more awareness to African American men and prostate cancer.  1 out of 6 American men are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.  For African American men, it is 1 in every 4. More than 230,000 men are diagnosed with this disease and more than 29,000 will die as a result. Prostate cancer is the second most prevalent form of cancer after melanoma. African American men are more likely to develop prostate cancer than Caucasian men. They are also almost 2.5 times as likely to die from this cancer. Scientists cannot explain why prostate cancer occurrence and death rates are higher among African American men. Although, it is widely believed that a combination of genetic differences, lifestyle and nutrition habits, and medical care are factors. Below are some ways to help decrease your chance of getting prostate cancer. Exercise Maintain a healthy diet Know […] read more