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THERE IS HELP FOR OUR MEN!

Every man AND woman fears prostate cancer. It can take away our husband, father, brother, child, nephew and friend. A cure needs to be found along with all the other cancers.

Studies recently have found that perhaps prostate cancer is associated with a virus. The virus is called Xenotropic Murine Leukemia Virus. This virus is also known as XMRV. The medical community finds this study to be very exciting because possibly they will be able to eliminate the deadliest tumors. There are many men with prostate cancer that find it early, they are cured and can go on cancer free. These more potent tumors don’t go away so easily. It is hopeful that by recognizing and identifying XMRV men will automatically know that they are at higher risk and get help immediately.. Not all patients with prostate cancer have this virus. It is just in the most aggressive form of prostate cancer. If these patients could get diagnosed and treated earlier that would be a real breakthrough. This would eliminate much stress from the patient, family and friends.

The PSA test has been the test that identifies prostate cancer. Now that we can identify a possible virus linked to prostate cancer, we can next create a test to look for this virus. In this case, finding this virus would be more helpful than the PSA test. Researchers are now curious that women may have the virus and they are now studying cells from pap smears.

Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men. Lung cancer is the first. Every year around 250,000 men die from prostate cancer. In the United States about 25, 000 will die and approximately another 200,000 will be diagnosed with this disease. If this study has found just one link to slow down the deaths from prostate cancer the whole world would be happy. This research gives hope to the men diagnosed with prostate cancer, because maybe a cure is on the way quicker than we think.