Researchers at Case Western Reserve University have found promising results when it comes to periodontal therapy and men with abnormal prostate symptoms. Their findings were published in the journal Dentistry.
In the study, 27 men who went through prostate biopsy because of an abnormal exam or elevated prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels were evaluated for traditional periodontal parameters, prostate symptoms, and inflammatory markers IL-1 and hsCRP. All underwent periodontal therapy and were evaluated at four and eight weeks post-therapy.
After treatment, all patients experienced statistically significant improvement in periodontal parameters and their prostate symptom score. There was a significant correlation between changes in periodontal parameters and PSA levels after periodontal therapy, however men with lower initial PSA levels had the most statistically significant reduction in their PSA levels after treatment.
Prostate cancer affects one in every 7 men in the United States and is the second leading cause of cancer death in American men. Abnormal prostate symptoms (high PSA, abnormal exams, etc.) are often the first signs of prostate cancer and are crucial to early detection and treatment. This new information certainly has the potential to make a huge impact on the lives of millions of men who are trying to reduce their risk for prostate cancer, and it will be interesting to see whether larger and more long-term studies confirm this association.
