One of the ways doctors monitor patients with prostate enlargement, or patients with a suspicious growth in the prostate gland is to do a blood test known as PSA (prostate specific antigen). As a rule, the higher the PSA level, the more likelihood of an existing cancer within the prostate gland. However, therapy with Proscar (finasteride) is known to reduce PSA levels, making it more difficult to monitor any existing or developing prostate cancer. Could therapy with SP also reduce PSA levels?

This matter has not been determined yet. It is not known for certain at this time whether giving someone SP or other herbs will influence the amount of PSA released into the bloodstream. It is known, though, that finasteride will generally reduce PSA levels by about 50 percent. A group of researchers who participated in the finasteride study group financially supported by Merck & Co report that for an individual on finasteride, one can get an approximate value of the true value of a patient's PSA test by doubling their PSA level.

Preliminary laboratory studies using cell cultures indicate that there may be compounds within SP that have some anti-tumor activity. Whether SP administration to humans will have a role in cancer prevention or therapy is currently undetermined.

As a last note, I need to mention that a review of all the studies determining the role of exercise in the incidence of prostate cancer has not found a clear connection.

*51\299\2*

Men's Health Erectile Dysfunction