Washington D.C. – While more men are being diagnosed with the prostate cancer, fewer are dying from the disease. Data from the North American Association of Central Cancer Registries and the National Center for Health Statistics, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that in 2012, incidence rates of prostate cancer will increase slightly, while death rates from the disease will decrease. In 2011, it is estimated that 33,720 men died from the disease, while 28,170 are expected to die in 2012 – a more than 15 percent decrease. This can be attributed to both the effectiveness of early detection efforts and research that has lead to advances in treatment.

“This year alone, more than 241,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 28,000 will die from the disease,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer. “We are seeing the death rate decrease, but we must remain vigilant in the fight against this disease by increasing research funding, raising awareness and education, and testing men with risk factors.”

In the U.S., a baby boomer turns 50 every 8.5 seconds, making the risk pool for prostate cancer larger and larger. ZERO provides free prostate cancer testing to at-risk men across the country through the Drive Against Prostate Cancer. Because of early detection efforts like the Drive, more than 90 percent of prostate cancers are discovered in the local or regional stages. When detected in these early stages, the survival rate for prostate cancer approaches 100 percent.

Over the past 25 years, the 5-year relative survival rate for all stages of prostate cancer combined has increased from 68 percent to almost 100 percent, which can be attributed to the widespread use of the PSA blood test for the disease. According to the most recent data, 10- and 15-year relative survival rates are 98 percent and 91 percent, respectively.

Research at the Department of Defense’s (DOD) Prostate Cancer Research Program (PCRP) has lead to the discovery of new drugs to fight late-stage prostate cancer. Xgeva and Zytiga, both approved in the past two years, are now viable options to extend men’s lives. ZERO works with the federal government to protect the valuable bench to bedside research done at the DOD, and was instrumental in keeping the PCRP funded at $80 million for fiscal year 2012.

For reasons that remain unclear, prostate cancer incidence rates are significantly higher in African Americans than in Caucasians, and death rates in African Americans remain more than twice as high as those in Caucasians. Other risk factors for prostate cancer include age and family history of the disease.

Studies suggest that a diet high in processed meat or dairy foods may also be a risk factor. Obesity may increase the risk of aggressive prostate cancer, and obesity and smoking are associated with an increased risk of dying from the disease.

ZERO believes that men should take a proactive approach to their health, and discuss prostate cancer risk factors and testing options with their doctor.

Washington D.C. – The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge®, the premier men’s health event series in America, managed by ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer, will host events in 32 cities in 2012 to raise funds for prostate cancer research, advocacy and awareness.

“In 2012, more than 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 28,000 will die from the disease,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer. “As the success of our event series continues to grow, we’re better equipped to reduce these numbers by funding research, advocacy and awareness efforts.”

In 2012, the event series is expanding to 32 cities including new events in Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland, Los Angeles, Shreveport and Lancaster, PA. In 2011 the GPCC series raised nearly $2 million by hosting more than 12,000 athletes in 27 cities across the nation including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit and a celebrity golf tournament Myrtle Beach, SC.

The goal of the GPCC is to end prostate cancer by building a network of local race partners across the country with a massive amount of participants in the same way that organizations like The Susan G. Komen Foundation have brought attention to breast cancer and women’s health issues.

In 2007, Chesapeake Urology Associates, one of the largest urology practice groups in the nation and located in the greater Baltimore area, created an event solely focused on prostate cancer. Other urology groups across the country soon joined the successful GPCC series to create awareness and raise funds for prostate cancer research through highly successful 5K run events. In 2009, ZERO took on the GPCC as its signature awareness and fundraising program in its efforts to save lives through research and testing.

Funds from the event series go to national and local efforts to save lives from prostate cancer. National funds help ZERO increase prostate cancer research funding from the federal government and provide free testing for high-risk men and local funds provide education and free testing in event communities.

Premier Partner Abbott and many other national and local sponsors are dedicated to ending prostate cancer support the GPCC.

To learn more about the GPCC, visit www.greatprostatecancerchallenge.com.

Fort Myers, FL - Lace up your sneakers and join Florida Urology Physicians and ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer on Saturday, January 28, 2012 for the Great Prostate Cancer Challenge 5K Race in Fort Myers. The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge is America’s premier men’s health event series, taking place in 33 cities in 2012.

“More than 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer this year alone, including more than 17,000 in Florida,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer. “The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge raises funds that are critical for raising awareness and fighting the disease.”

Funds raised from the race go to prostate cancer research, education, and free testing. ZERO provides comprehensive treatment information to patients, education to those at risk, and free testing to at-risk men around the country. ZERO also works to increase research funds from the federal government to find new treatments and better diagnostic tests for this disease.

For more information, visit http://greatprostatecancerchallenge.com/races/fort-myers/.

The team at ZERO - The Project to End Prostate Cancer is saddened to learn of the loss of Jim Huber, a strong supporter of the fight against prostate cancer and 2010 Know Your Score: Fight Prostate Cancer National Spokesman. Know Your Score hosts an annual golf tournament to raise money to fight prostate cancer, provides free prostate cancer testing, and educates men about the disease.

"ZERO and its partners suffered a great loss and we are saddened by the passing of a wonderful advocate and colleague," said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO. "We can honor Jim's legacy by continuing to fight prostate cancer and supporting research to find the cure."

"Jim answered the call to help with our Know Your Score campaign immediately and fully. His committed involvement in the Know Your Score campaign helped to educate thousands of men about prostate cancer and no doubt saved many lives," said Mitch Laurance, ZERO Board Member. "All of us will be forever grateful for his unwavering support and will truly miss our friend and colleague."

Jim was an Emmy Award-winning essayist who joined Turner Sports full-time in 2000 and was an announcer for professional golf events and NBA games. He previously served as an anchor and reporter for CNN/Sports Illustrated and hosted CNN's Pro Golf Weekly and Sporting Life with Jim Huber.

Washington D.C. – The Great Prostate Cancer Challenge®, the premier men’s health event series in America, managed by ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer, hosted events in 27 cities and raised nearly $2 million in 2011 for prostate cancer research, advocacy and awareness.

“This year, more than 240,000 men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer and more than 34,000 will die from the disease,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer. “In partnership with urology groups across the country and our sponsors, ZERO works to reduce these numbers through the GPCC events, which raise funds for critical research, advocacy and awareness efforts.”

The goal of the GPCC is to end prostate cancer by building a network of local race partners across the country with a massive amount of participants in the same way that organizations like The Susan G. Komen Foundation have brought attention to breast cancer and women’s health issues.

In 2007, Chesapeake Urology Associates (CUA), one of the largest urology practice groups in the nation and located in the greater Baltimore area, created an event solely focused on prostate cancer. The first GPCC 5K Race/1 Mile Fun Walk was held in September during National Prostate Cancer Health Month. It was the most successful first-time event of its kind in Maryland, with more than 1,100 participants and over $135,000 raised.

After the success of the Baltimore event, other urology groups across the country joined the GPCC to create awareness and raise funds for prostate cancer research through highly successful 5K run events. In 2009, ZERO took on the GPCC as its signature awareness and fundraising program in its efforts to save lives through research and testing.

The GPCC series exploded in 2011 by hosting more than 12,000 athletes in 27 cities across the nation including Atlanta, Charlotte, Dallas, Detroit and a celebrity golf tournament Myrtle Beach, SC. In 2012, the event series will expand to 35 cities including new events in Fort Lauderdale, Cleveland, Los Angeles and Shreveport.

Funds from the event series go to national and local efforts to save lives from prostate cancer. National funds help ZERO increase prostate cancer research funding from the federal government and provide free testing for high-risk men and local funds provide education and free testing in event communities.

Premier Partner Abbott and many other national and local sponsors dedicated to ending prostate cancer support the GPCC.

To learn more about the GPCC, visit www.greatprostatecancerchallenge.com.

More than 1 million prostate biopsies are performed in the United States each year. Although men are typically given antibiotics before the procedure to help ward off infection, this complication is one of the challenges physicians and patients face. According to Edward Schaeffer, MD, PhD, a Johns Hopkins urologist and oncologist and the study’s senior investigator, “the fact that infections serious enough to cause hospital admissions have been on the rise makes us think that these types of complications are occurring because of a steady increase in antimicrobial resistance rates in America.”

Along with a rise in the rate of infections following prostate biopsy, the study also revealed other complications, such as bleeding and flare-ups of underlying conditions, including breathing disorders and heart failure. Overall, the study, which will be published in the November 2011 issue of the Journal of Urology, found a 6.9% rate of hospitalization within 30 days of a prostate biopsy compared to a 2.9% rate among men who did not have a biopsy. The study looked at more than 17,400 men age 65 and older who had a prostate biopsy and compared them with 134,977 controls.

There is some good news from the study: the hospitalization rate following prostate biopsy has been dropping since 1991, so the 6.9% rate is an improvement. On the flip side, however, men hospitalized because they got a prostate biopsy-related infection had a 12-fold greater chance of dying compared with men who did not have a biopsy.

If you are contemplating a prostate biopsy, a discussion about potential complications is in order. H. Ballentine Carter, MD, coauthor of the Johns Hopkins study and a professor of urology and oncology, said “we believe that more needs to be done to reduce potential complications. It is important for urologists to determine if a biopsy is appropriate for an individual patient and also if the patient is at increased risk for a biopsy-related complication.”

Although this study was conducted in women, the same findings could be extrapolated to include men as well. Vitamin D is involved in maintaining muscle health in both men and women. Since both men and women have pelvic floor muscles that play a role in urinary control, a deficiency or low level of vitamin D could have a negative impact on muscle strength and structure in the pelvis necessary for urinary control.

The study involved 1,881 women (average age, 48) for whom the investigators compared vitamin D levels with the incidence of urinary incontinence and other pelvic floor disorders. In addition to the association between a vitamin D deficiency and urinary incontinence, the authors also reported that the chance of having urinary incontinence was significantly reduced in women age 50 and older who had vitamin D levels of 30 ng/mL or higher.

The take-home message from this study is that vitamin D appears to have a significant role in urinary incontinence. Other studies have shown that vitamin D is an important nutrient for prostate and urinary health, and this one supports those findings as well.

Carrying excess weight may make urinary incontinence symptoms worse because it places extra pressure on the pelvic region, which in turn can stimulate the need to urinate. This effect, along with a weakening of the pelvic floor muscles, which may be associated with a vitamin D deficiency among other factors, can make urinary incontinence treatment challenging.

Results of the UCSF study, which were published in the New England Journal of Medicine, support the use of weight loss as a first-line treatment for urinary incontinence in overweight and obese women. Although this study involved women only, other studies with men have shown a relationship between being overweight or obese and urinary incontinence.

For example, a University of Washington Medical School study reported that in men who had undergone prostatectomy for prostate cancer, men who were not obese and who were physically active were 26 percent less likely to experience urinary incontinence than men who were obese and inactive. Another study of 252 men who underwent prostatectomy also reported that urinary incontinence was more likely to occur in men who were obese (25.8%) than in men who were not (8.7%). Therefore it appears that weight loss can improve urinary incontinence in both men and women.

The new study involved 388 men who had prostate cancer and 1,552 controls. An analysis of each case revealed that among men who had ever used statins, there was a significant increase in the risk of prostate cancer when compared with men who had never used the cholesterol-lowering drugs. As the cumulative dose of statins increased, so did the trend toward an increased risk of prostate cancer.

Previous studies have shown a different relationship between statin use and prostate cancer. In a recent study from Cleveland Clinic and published in the Journal of Urology, for example, a review of more than 4,200 men with prostate cancer looked at statin use and determined that “statin use was associated with a decreased risk of prostate cancer, less frequent high grade prostate cancer and lower volume prostate cancer, suggesting that statin use has a protective effect against prostate cancer.”

In a VA Boston Healthcare System study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, a review of 55,875 men who either took a statin or high blood pressure medication were evaluated. Researchers found that statin users were 31% less likely to be diagnosed with prostate cancer than men who took high blood pressure medication, and 60% less likely to be diagnosed with high-grade prostate cancer.

In yet one more study run by the American Cancer Society, investigators examined the association between long-term use of cholesterol-lowering drugs (mostly statins) and the incidence of ten common types of cancer (including prostate cancer) among 133,255 men and women between 1997 and 2007. They found no increased incidence of any cancer associated with five or more years’ use of cholesterol-lowering drugs.

The new study showing an increased risk of prostate cancer associated with statin use may raise more questions than it answers. One thing it suggests is that the quest for whether statins are beneficial or hazardous to prostate health or have a role in prostate cancer is still uncertain.

From a pool of 64 RCTs, the reviewers selected only three that met their criteria. The three studies involved a total of 154 participants, and only one study provided figures on the incidence of prostate cancer: 10% in men who took lycopene compared with 30% in those in a control group. According to the reviewers, two of the three studies had a high risk of bias, and none of the studies provided “robust evidence” of the effect of lycopene on prostate cancer incidence, prostate symptoms, levels of prostate-specific antigen (PSA), or side effects.

The results of the 12-week trial are particularly important because it is the first study of an antimuscarinic agent (one that blocks the activity of the neurotransmitter acetylcholine) shown to be effective in treating older adults, for whom overactive bladder is especially troublesome and can be debilitating. Overactive bladder is a type of urinary incontinence that can be treated with a variety of medications, including Toviaz, as well as herbal and natural remedies, nerve stimulation, behavioral therapy, Kegel exercises, continence products, and surgery.

Consider the findings of the following studies. In one, researchers evaluated a total of 1,216 prostate biopsies conducted from 2000 to 2006 at two centers. Seventeen men were hospitalized for acute bacterial prostatitis after they had a prostate biopsy, a rate of about 0.01%.

All of the men had received a single dose of fluoroquinolone antibiotics (such as Cipro) at least one hour before they underwent the prostate biopsy. (Administering antibiotics before a prostate biopsy is standard procedure to help prevent the risk of infection, including prostatitis.) The most common bacteria identified as a cause of prostatitis was Escherichia coli in nine cases. Most of the cases were resistant to fluoroquinolones (88%) and to cotrimoxazole (77%), but second and third generation cephalosporins (e.g., cefuroxime, cefaclor, ceftazidime, cefprozil) were effective in 100% of cases.

Another study evaluated 1,339 men who underwent transrectal prostate biopsy. In this group, 28 (2.1%) developed acute bacterial prostatitis a mean of 3 days after the procedure: 15 got prostatitis after their first biopsy and 13 developed the infection after a repeat biopsy.

As in the previously mentioned study, E. coli was the most common culprit bacteria (50% of cases), and the men were resistant to the antibiotics ciprofloxacin, ceftriaxone, sulbactam/ampicillin, and cefazolin, but did respond to imipenem and piperacillin-tazobactam.

In a subsequent study, investigators evaluated 107 men who underwent transrectal prostate biopsy between 2008 and 2010. A total of 9.3% of the men developed acute bacterial prostatitis, and the most significant risk factor for prostatitis was use of a fluoroquinolone antibiotic before the prostate biopsy: acute prostatitis had developed in 17.1% of men who had used a fluoroquinolone compared with 4.5% of men who had not taken this class of antibiotics. Again, E. coli was the most common bacteria identified as the cause of the acute prostatitis. The authors concluded that “Prior fluoroquinolone intake is a significant risk factor behind a rising incidence of acute prostatitis after transrectal prostate biopsy.”

If a prostate biopsy is on your “To Do” list, the findings of these studies are food for thought. Although chances you will develop acute bacterial prostatitis following a prostate biopsy are not large, at least one study showed the risk was nearly 10%, and that use of fluoroquinolone antibiotics before the procedure appears to have been a significant factor. During your prostate biopsy recovery period, you don’t want to have to worry about prostatitis. Before your prostate biopsy, question your doctor about how to best prevent the possibility of prostatitis which may include natural therapies reduce the risk of infection such as supplements for prostatitis.

Washington D.C. – With the recent ruling by the USPSTF to eliminate prostate cancer early detection, ZERO and its policy staff began an aggressive campaign on Capitol Hill to combat the task force’s infringement on the doctor-patient relationship. Through a letter writing campaign targeted to Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius, ZERO is warning of the recommendations’ implications on our health care system and calling for a more stringent set of guidelines for the USPSTF to follow.

With the help of three legislators (Dennis Kucinich D - OH, Dan Burton R - IN, and prostate cancer survivor John Barrow D - GA) more than 60 signatures were secured on two different Dear Colleague letters addressed to the Secretary Sebelius.

The Kucinich and Burton bipartisan Dear Colleague letter addresses the impact this recommendation has on Medicare subscribers and their access to preventive services for prostate cancer. The Social Security Act 1834(N) grants the secretary of HHS the ability to decide whether or not Medicare will cover preventive services for prostate cancer. A decision such as this should not be put on the shoulders of one individual.

The Dear Colleague letter by Congressman Barrow addresses the issue on a broader scale. “Preventive medical screenings keep health care costs low, improve health outcomes and give patients greater control over their care.” Insurance giants Kaiser Permanente and Aetna are currently reconsidering their coverage of the PSA test, clearly illustrating the implications of the USPSTF’s recommendations have on private insurance coverage.

This group of legislators and their signatures are just the start. If you do not see your representative’s name among this group, we encourage you to write his or her office and make your voice heard by clicking here.

The period for public comment on the recommendations, which ended on Nov. 8, was actually a private comment period. At no point will the comments submitted by patients, doctors, family members or survivors be made public. The officials at the USPSTF have gone on record saying that the public comment period is a mechanism that they are not used to and will be refined throughout the years. However, prostate cancer patients’ fates are hanging in the balance now. Refining a broken system years from now will not help fix the situation nor will it save men’s lives.

Congress and the Obama Administration need to revisit the language incorporated in the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and work to redefine the explicit roles agencies and task forces such as the USPSTF have on the individual health of Americans around the country.

ZERO would like to thank the aforementioned group of Representatives and their staffs for their dedication to early detection of prostate cancer.

Click here to see the Kucinich/Burton Dear Colleague letter and its signers.

Click here to see the John Barrow Dear Colleague letter and its signers.

That said, there are some things a man should not do before having a PSA test. This list of “don’ts” will help ensure your test results are as accurate as possible.

DON'T:

Participate in vigorous exercise and activities that stimulate or “jostle” the prostate, such as bike riding, motorcycling, and riding a horse, ATV, or tractor, or getting a prostatic massage for 48 hours before your test.

Don't forget to tell your doctor:

Washington D.C. – Based on the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation that men should not be tested for prostate cancer, ZERO – The Project to End Prostate Cancer is urging men to become more educated about prostate cancer testing and treatment options in order to protect their health. The PSA test is currently the only means of early detection of prostate cancer, the second leading cause of cancer death among American men.

“There are many mixed messages floating around in the media, and ZERO is asking men to take their health into their own hands, instead of listening to the advice of a government panel that is encouraging them to ignore their health,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer. “It is critical that men take an active role in protecting their health by talking to their doctor and keeping up to date on new research and advances in prostate cancer diagnosis and treatment.”

Topping the list of mixed messages regarding prostate cancer testing is news that President Obama was tested for prostate cancer at his most recent physical in late October. Obama is a healthy 50-year-old who under the new USPSTF recommendations would not be eligible for prostate cancer testing. He was tested due to "an informed patient request," which reinforces the importance of a patient–doctor relationship.

In addition, while the American Cancer Society states on its website that it “recommends that men have a chance to make an informed decision with their health care provider about whether to be screened for prostate cancer,” ACS Chief Medical Officer Otis Brawley publicly opposes early detection for prostate cancer. With the prediction that most insurance companies will not cover PSA tests based on the USPSTF recommendation, men will no longer be able to afford to make the informed decision to be tested for prostate cancer.

While every man has some level of risk for prostate cancer, certain factors make some men more susceptible than others. High risk factors for prostate cancer include age, race and family history. Rates of prostate cancer in the U.S. are 60 percent higher among African-American men, and their mortality rate is two-and-a-half times that of Caucasian men. Men with a father or brother with prostate cancer have more than twice the risk of being diagnosed.

ZERO believes that all men, especially those with high risk factors, need to consider testing for prostate cancer in order to have the most information possible and make the best health decisions. Men should not be denied access to vital health information because it may lead to difficult decisions.

To read ZERO’s public comments to USPSTF, visit http://zerocancer.org/education/testing/USPSTF-recommendations/.

Each year about 3,300 Australian men die of prostate cancer, compared to about 34,000 men in the USA. It’s Australia’s second worst cancer killer for men.

The current treatments for prostate cancer include surgical removal of the prostate (prostatectomy), radiation therapy, freezing the tumor (cryosurgery) or cutting off the supply of the hormone testosterone (hormone therapy for prostate cancer) — but all of these have side-effects including incontinence and erectile dysfunction.

Leucine is an essential amino acid that is not produced within the human body and, therefore, must be supplied through dietary intake. While it’s a nutrient of particular interest to bodybuilders because of its role in building muscle and maintaining lean tissue, leucine also helps protect muscle tissue during recovery from illness, injury and extreme stress. Dietary sources of leucine include seafood, meat and dairy.

Growing prostate cancer cells need leucine, which is pumped into the cell by specialized proteins. Dr Jeff Holst and his team at the Centenary Institute found, in a study to be published this month in Cancer Research, that prostate cancer cells have more pumps than normal which allow the cancer cells to take in more leucine and outgrow normal cells.

“This information allows us to target the pumps — and we’ve tried two routes. We found that we could disrupt the uptake of leucine firstly by reducing the expression amount of the protein pumps, and secondly by introducing a drug that competes with leucine. Both approaches slowed cancer growth, in essence ‘starving’ the cancer cells,” Dr Holst says.

First author Dr Qian Wang says by targeting different sets of pumps, the researchers were able to slow tumor growth in both the early and late stages of prostate cancer. “In some of the experiments, we were able to slow tumor growth by as much as 50 per cent. Our hope is that we could develop a treatment that slows the growth of the cancer so that it would not require surgical removal. If animal trials are successful over the next few years then clinical trials could start in as little as five years,” he says.

Dr Holst also commented on the connection between diets high in leucine and prostate cancer. “Diets high in red meat and dairy are correlated with prostate cancer but still no one really understands why”. However numerous other studies have also shown the impact of dairy, calcium and red meat on prostate cancer risk so the discover of the role of leucine, which is high in meats and dairy foods, just adds more weight to the potential preventative role in prostate cancer in reducing intake of these foods.

We spoke with ZERO's Melissa Kadish, who told us about the event and talked about the need for more awareness. She says that men need to take control of their health, get to the doctor for a PSA test, and become more comfortable with raising awareness for this disease.

Harrisburg, PA cancer survivors and prostate cancer advocates, Jay Snyder and Thomas Goodman, Jr., shared their personal stories about how they faced prostate cancer. And both of these men are using heir own experience to reach out to other men to encourage them to get a PSA test to screen for prostate cancer. This simple blood test can be a life-saver for men with early stage prostate cancer.

Urologist Dr. Paul Smith, Jr. of Urology of Central PA, says that despite the recent controversy surrounding PSA tests, men should still get screened for cancer. Jay and Thomas attended this year's ZERO conference in Washington DC, where they met other survivors, legislators and the researchers who are working hard to end prostate cancer. Jay says he's excited about where the research is going and hopes to see the day when there's a cure.

Washington D.C. – Lace up your sneakers and join ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer’s DASH FOR DAD Endurance Team for the world-famous Ironman triathlon. For the first time, Ironman is partnering with charities for the inaugural 2012 Ironman U.S. Championship Triathlon in New York City, a full Ironman taking place on August 11, 2012.

“ZERO’s DASH FOR DAD Endurance Team Ironman participants get the opportunity to make fitness goals a reality and also raise funds and awareness for an important cause,” said Skip Lockwood, CEO of ZERO. “Prostate cancer affects one in six men and partnering with Ironman and the Ironman Foundation helps ZERO raise awareness of the disease and fund research to lead us to the cure.”

ZERO has 20 guaranteed spots at 2012 Ironman U.S. Championship, which will consist of a 2.4 mile swim in the Hudson, a 112 mile bike trek on the Palisades Parkway in Bergen and Rockland Counties N.J., and a 26.2 mile run beginning in New Jersey and finishing in Riverside Park in Manhattan. The Ironman U.S. Championship will offer 75 age group qualifying slots for the 2012 Ironman World Championship in Kailua-Kona, Hawai’i, with more than 2,500 participants from around the world.

Benefits of joining the DASH FOR DAD Endurance Team include ZERO paying the cost of your entry into the race, supportive group of teammates, access to your own fundraising page and DASH FOR DAD list-serv, fundraising support and advice, DASH FOR DAD technical shirt and water bottle, “In honor of” or “In memory of” bib for the race, travel reimbursement for top-level fundraisers, and a ZERO sponsored pre-race lunch at Carmine's in New York City on August 10, 2012. ZERO requires Endurance Team members to raise a minimum of $5,000 to participate.

All proceeds raised by the DASH FOR DAD Endurance Team will support ZERO — The Project to End Prostate Cancer and its mission to end prostate cancer through awareness, outreach, advocacy and research. ZERO provides comprehensive treatment information to patients, education to those at risk, and free testing to men around the country. ZERO also works to increase research funds from the federal government to find new treatments and better diagnostic tests for this disease.

For more information and to register, visit http://zerocancer.org/races/events/nyc-ironman.

According to a new study released yesterday at the annual meeting for Vascular Interventional Advances in Las Vegas, the stent is safe and improves erectile function in men who don’t respond to conventional drug therapy such as Viagra and Cialis.

The study found a 68 percent improvement in erectile function after three months in 30 men with an average age of 60 who were implanted with the stents. Their impotence was caused by narrowed pudendal arteries in the pelvis. There were no issues such as clots or the need for surgery one month after treatment in the study funded by Minneapolis-based Medtronic.

Therefore, to state that vitamin E increases the risk of prostate cancer without explaining the limitations of the study—including the fact that SELECT used only one form of vitamin E—is a misrepresentation of what scientists and researchers have discovered about vitamin E and prostate cancer to date.