The role of dietary manipulation in biochemical recurrence of prostate cancer after radical prostatectomy.

In 1999, we continue to be faced with difficulties in treating prostate cancer, which remains the leading cause of cancer and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in men. In the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) era, we must also determine which therapies, if any, are appropriate for the treatment of a biochemical or PSA relapse. In view of the limited number of efficacious and durable treatments for prostate cancer recurrence, the medical community has had to investigate nontraditional therapies. In the recent past, an expanding body of evidence has implicated certain nutrients in carcinogenesis and cancer progression. This article discusses the role of diet in prostate carcinogenesis and the rationale for dietary manipulation as a treatment strategy for the prevention of primary and secondary (recurrent) prostate cancer.