( This is Why I Am Doing It !)
Oxford University in England, is the oldest and arguably the most well-respected University on Earth. This 30 year Oxford University Study reports out in 2023 after 15 years. It examines 1,500 men with localized prostate cancer who take 3 distinct paths. 1) Prostate removal, 2) Radiation therapy, and 3) Active Surveillance (watchful waiting).
The summary that follows reports about a 3% death rate at year 15 for each of the 3 groups. So there was no difference in the death rates between each group of 500 men who either 1) had their prostate removed, 2) received radiation, or 3) did neither 1 or 2 and conducted Active Surveillance. It should be noted that some in each group chose to lower their testosterone.
If you click into the image above, it takes you to the research study results.
I found the Main Conclusion of the Study after 15 years:
Conclusions
After 15 years of follow-up, prostate cancer–specific mortality was low regardless of the treatment assigned. Thus, the choice of therapy involves weighing trade-offs between benefits and harms associated with treatments for localized prostate cancer. (Funded by the National Institute for Health and Care Research; ProtecT Current Controlled Trials number, ISRCTN20141297; ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT02044172.)
The first sentence of the conclusion:
After 15 years of follow-up, prostate cancer–specific mortality was low regardless of the treatment assigned.
1500 men were studied over 15 years ! Oxford University ! No Difference in mortality !
And no one in this group was identified as going vegan, or taking research-based anti-oxidants and anti PCa supplements. My 15 years started at 68, so by 83 I should experience no difference in mortality than if went the surgery or radiation route.
WHY AM I EVEN CONSIDERING EITHER SURGERY OR RADIATION?
I am currently in the Active Surveillance category not trying to lower my natural testosterone, although I did stop taking testosterone increasing shots. Curiously enough, my natural whole testosterone increased above the point where before I started to take the shots, while my ‘free testosterone’ still remains low.
Above is the conclusion of how things are going after 15 years. It’s in plain language, so I will not interpret this any further. Have a go at understanding this. It’s the main research document that encouraged me to not go forward with the prostate removal surgery.
When I brought this research to the attention of my urologist, he did not address it, which is reasonable since this research is on the medical cutting edge, and has not received sufficient peer review and other every-day-medical-community-acceptance actions that I don’t fully understand other than it’s breaking news and needs to be vetted more.
My Primary Care Physician (PCP) did address it, and advised me that I am near 70 and he was near 50. “You are attempting to do what you should have been doing all along to avoid prostate cancer. It’s too late for that, but whatever course you choose, what you are doing now will improve your outcome.”, he told me.
He added that if he were in my shoes, he would probably do the same thing I am doing, as in trying to avoid prostate surgery removal as well as avoiding radiation.
Recently after a good night’s sleep and an opportunity to reflect on all the recent updates that codifying what I have been up to, that inspired me to create a “This is How I Am Doing It ! “ page. I nick-named it my TL;DR page (Too Long; Didn’t Read), and I applied the 80/20 rule, outlining the main aspects of my program that I thought resulted in 80% of what I have accomplished.
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