WSU to Study Iraq Toxins' Effect
Spokesman-Review
by Bert Caldwell
Research to examine how exposure might damage offspring of soldiers
Washington State University scientists will use a $1.7 million grant to study what multi-generation genetic damage might be done by toxins U.S. troops could encounter in Iraq.
The research using laboratory rats, not humans, will be the first for the military to examine the epigenetic effects of pesticides, herbicides and other compounds, said lead scientist Michael Skinner, director of the university's Center for Reproductive Biology.
Previous studies have looked at the health effects of other substances, notably the Agent Orange used to defoliate jungles in Vietnam, on the soldiers directly exposed, he said, not on their children or grandchildren.
"The science really had not caught up with the trans-generational stuff," said Skinner, one of several WSU pioneers in the field of epigenetic, or multi-generational, inheritance.
Besides herbicides and pesticides – which and in what combinations has not been determined – the study also will look at the effects of explosives residues, he said.
The four-year study will allow researchers to see how any changes in genetic chemistry that develop are passed along through two subsequent generations of rats, he said, noting that only the first two years of research have been funded.
Among the problems that might develop are kidney disease, or changes in the male and female reproductive organs, he said.
If any genetic markers are identified in rats, Skinner said, follow-up research could look at whether they might show up among members of the military as well.
That would be of particular interest to Dave Holmes, interim chief operating officer of the Institute for Systems Medicine, which was awarded the U.S. Department of Defense grant passed through to Skinner.
Holmes' son, Tim Hammond, did two tours in Iraq with the U.S. Marine Corps.
"They sprayed all kinds of stuff on them," Holmes said.
Although the grant money, the first awarded ISM, will fund work in Pullman, he said the organization's supporters hope any subsequent clinical studies will be done in Spokane.
"There's a lot of excitement about making it happen," he said.
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Prostate Cancer, Ratings and Treatments, What you Need to Know
By Jim Strickland
It's reported that 1 in 6 men in America will be diagnosed with prostate cancer. In 2008, 186,000 men will be diagnosed and over 28,000 men will die of the disease. Risk factors are age, ethnicity, family history, and lifestyle. African-American men are 61% more likely to develop prostate cancer and 2.5 times more likely to die from the disease.
The Vietnam Veteran and Prostate Cancer
Most references that provide information about prostate cancer don't list military service in Vietnam or other exposure to Agent Orange as a risk factor. This seems incongruous when we know that Vietnam era veterans constituted the largest group of veterans in Census 2000, accounting for 8.4 million people or 31.7 percent of the total veteran population.
The Prostate Cancer Foundation touts itself as, "the world’s leading philanthropic
organization for funding prostate-cancer research" yet makes no mention of Vietnam veterans.
At the web site for the National Cancer Institute, no mention of either Agent Orange nor the Vietnam veteran is found. Following the trend, The Mayo Clinic and Medline Plus choose to ignore the Vietnam veteran.
The Institute of Medicine points out that, "Since Update 2004, however, new evidence has emerged that service in Vietnam itself may be associated with a higher risk of prostate cancer. Although the explanations for that are unclear, the possibility needs to be taken into account in interpreting studies that bear on the relationship of Agent Orange exposure to prostate cancer."
Veterans exposed to Agent Orange have higher rates of prostate cancer recurrence"
When the Vietnam veteran is diagnosed, he will be rated at 100% throughout treatment. The treatment may take 6 months or so. At the end of the treatment it's usually determined (by PSA) that the veteran is cancer free.
If the veteran no longer has prostate cancer, the rating must change. The veteran is then reexamined and rated on "residuals" or after-effects of treatments.
The after effects are usually some combination of leakage and erectile
dysfunction. The veteran is normally rated at 40% or 60% depending on how severe the leakage is, usually measured by the number of absorbent pads necessary per day.
ED is rated under the Special Monthly Compensation category of SMC-k, "Loss of a creative organ". Veterans must remember to ask for this benefit.
The Rating
7528 Malignant neoplasms of the genitourinary system...100%
Note--Following the cessation of surgical, X-ray, antineoplastic chemotherapy or other therapeutic procedure, the rating of 100% shall continue with a mandatory VA examination at the expiration of six months. Any change in evaluation based upon that or any subsequent examination shall be subject to the provisions of Sec. 3.105(e) of this chapter.
If there has been no local reoccurrence or metastasis, rate on residuals as voiding dysfunction or renal dysfunction, whichever is predominant.
Voiding dysfunction: Rate particular condition as urine leakage, frequency, or obstructed voiding Continual Urine Leakage, Post Surgical Urinary Diversion, Urinary Incontinence, or Stress Incontinence:
Requiring the use of an appliance or the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed more than 4 times per day 60%
Requiring the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed 2 to 4 times per day 40%
Requiring the wearing of absorbent materials which must be changed less than 2 times per day 20%
Urinary frequency: Daytime voiding interval less than one hour, or; awakening to void five or more times per night 40%
Daytime voiding interval between one and two hours, or; awakening to void three to four times per night 20%
Daytime voiding interval between two and three hours, or; awakening to void two times per night 10%
Signs of Prostate Cancer
Possible signs of prostate cancer include a weak flow of urine or frequent urination.
These and other symptoms may be caused by prostate cancer. Other conditions may cause the same symptoms. A doctor should be consulted if any of the following problems occur:
*Problems with urination such as difficulty in beginning urination, a weak urinary stream, and even an intermittent flow of urine;
*Sometimes before and after urination, some urine continues to dribble
*A feeling of urgency in having to rush quickly to urinate;
*Pain or burning during urination.
*Blood in the urine or semen.
*A pain in the back, hips, or pelvis that doesn't go away.
*Painful ejaculation.
*Even after urination a feeling that the bladder has not been completely emptied.
Tests that examine the prostate and blood are used to detect (find) and diagnose prostate cancer.
The following tests and procedures may be used:
*Digital rectal exam (DRE): An exam of the rectum. The doctor or nurse inserts a lubricated, gloved finger into the rectum and feels the prostate through the rectal wall for lumps or abnormal areas.
* Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test: A test that measures the level of PSA in the blood. PSA is a substance made by the prostate that may be found in an increased amount in the blood of men who have prostate cancer. PSA levels may also be high in men who have an infection or inflammation of the prostate or BPH (an enlarged, but noncancerous, prostate).
*Transrectal ultrasound: A procedure in which a probe that is about the size of a finger is inserted into the rectum to check the prostate. The probe is used to bounce high-energy sound waves (ultrasound) off internal tissues or organs and make echoes. The echoes form a picture of body tissues called a sonogram. Transrectal ultrasound may be used during a biopsy procedure.
Biopsy: The removal of cells or tissues so they can be viewed under a microscope by a pathologist. The pathologist will examine the biopsy sample to check for cancer cells and determine the Gleason score. The Gleason score ranges from 2-10 and describes how likely it is that a tumor will spread. The lower the number, the less likely the tumor is to spread. There are 2 types of biopsy procedures used to diagnose prostate cancer:
* Transrectal biopsy: The removal of tissue from the prostate by inserting a thin needle through the rectum and into the prostate. This procedure is usually done using transrectal ultrasound to help guide the needle. A pathologist views the tissue under a microscope to look for cancer cells.
There are different types of treatment for patients with prostate cancer.
* Four types of standard treatment are used:
o Watchful waiting
This is usually used in older men with other medical problems and early- stage disease.
o Surgery
Patients in good health are usually offered a variety of surgicaly procedures as treatment for prostate cancer.
o Radiation therapy
Is a cancer treatment that uses high-energy x-rays or other types of radiation to kill cancer cells or keep them from growing.
External radiation therapy uses a machine outside the body to send radiation toward the cancer. Internal radiation therapy uses a radioactive substance sealed in needles, seeds, wires, or catheters that are placed directly into or near the cancer. The way the radiation therapy is given depends on the type and stage of the cancer being treated.
o Hormone therapy
In prostate cancer, male sex hormones can cause prostate cancer to grow. Drugs, surgery, or other hormones are used to reduce the production of male hormones or block them from working.
* New types of treatment are being tested in clinical trials.
o Cryosurgery
o Chemotherapy
o Biologic therapy
o High-intensity focused ultrasound
o Proton beam radiation therapy
*Patients may want to think about taking part in a clinical trial.
* Patients can enter clinical trials before, during, or after starting their cancer treatment.
*Follow-up tests may be needed.
To find out more about clinical trials visit the National Cancer Institute online, or call (1-800-422-6237)
