Dr. Robert Turesky

So, I mean, everything in dose and moderation. But some of these chemicals that we think may be contributing to prostate cancer, they themselves are not hazardous. They're not toxic. They're not carcinogenic. But once you eat them and they're in your body and they go through your liver or different other organs like the prostate, there are enzymes that convert or change these compounds.

So, I mean, everything in dose and moderation. But some of these chemicals that we think may be contributing to prostate cancer, they themselves are not hazardous. They're not toxic. They're not carcinogenic. But once you eat them and they're in your body and they go through your liver or different other organs like the prostate, there are enzymes that convert or change these compounds.

Our body wants to eliminate all this stuff. Enzymes called cytochrome P450s, that make these things more water soluble so we can excrete them in our urine, for example. But unfortunately, these enzymes, they don't, you know, they're kind of indiscriminate.

Our body wants to eliminate all this stuff. Enzymes called cytochrome P450s, that make these things more water soluble so we can excrete them in our urine, for example. But unfortunately, these enzymes, they don't, you know, they're kind of indiscriminate.

Depending where they convert or transform these carcinogens or the procarcinogens, they can either convert them to non-hazardous detoxified metabolites, or they can convert them to reactive intermediates that latch onto DNA. And so Clarence's profile of enzymes their levels may be different than yours.

Depending where they convert or transform these carcinogens or the procarcinogens, they can either convert them to non-hazardous detoxified metabolites, or they can convert them to reactive intermediates that latch onto DNA. And so Clarence's profile of enzymes their levels may be different than yours.

And so it's that balance of these different enzymes in our body that either bioactivate or detoxify these chemicals. which is one important risk factor. And so there are multiple enzymes.

And so it's that balance of these different enzymes in our body that either bioactivate or detoxify these chemicals. which is one important risk factor. And so there are multiple enzymes.

Well, that's a great question. So one of the challenges that we have, not only for the work that I'm doing, but for anybody who, like me, who's looking at different chemicals in the diet and the environment and their relative risk for developing cancer, the challenges that we have is that

Well, that's a great question. So one of the challenges that we have, not only for the work that I'm doing, but for anybody who, like me, who's looking at different chemicals in the diet and the environment and their relative risk for developing cancer, the challenges that we have is that

the way that we do these risks assessments up to now are by using experimental laboratory animals, like bats, mice, and they're given very, very high doses of these chemicals, like a hundred thousand, a million times more than you and I would each day. Right. Yeah. So how do you do that extrapolation? Right. So the reason why they do these high doses in animals is, is to have a security margin.

the way that we do these risks assessments up to now are by using experimental laboratory animals, like bats, mice, and they're given very, very high doses of these chemicals, like a hundred thousand, a million times more than you and I would each day. Right. Yeah. So how do you do that extrapolation? Right. So the reason why they do these high doses in animals is, is to have a security margin.

But, you know, if I'm getting this number on top of my head, if, say, one out of 100,000 men develops prostate cancer, I mean, does that mean I need to study 100,000 rats? Right, yeah. So they do, we do, not me personally, but people that study this animal carcinogens pathology, I mean, they'll dose animals at very high levels. And they'll do a couple of different doses to do a dose response.

But, you know, if I'm getting this number on top of my head, if, say, one out of 100,000 men develops prostate cancer, I mean, does that mean I need to study 100,000 rats? Right, yeah. So they do, we do, not me personally, but people that study this animal carcinogens pathology, I mean, they'll dose animals at very high levels. And they'll do a couple of different doses to do a dose response.

But still, they're thousands of times more higher than what you and I would eat. So how do we do this extrapolation? So some of the things that I do is we look at the damage of DNA in our cells. We look at the frequency. We look at the levels. or we use surrogate biomarkers. So some of these chemicals will latch on and modify blood proteins.

But still, they're thousands of times more higher than what you and I would eat. So how do we do this extrapolation? So some of the things that I do is we look at the damage of DNA in our cells. We look at the frequency. We look at the levels. or we use surrogate biomarkers. So some of these chemicals will latch on and modify blood proteins.

The same reactive intermediate that damages DNA can modify hemoglobin and albumin. And we try to see what kind of levels of these reactive intermediates are in our bodies versus, you know, a high dose rat or mouse or, or a cell system. Right. So, um, Other things that we can do is we can look at people's urine after somebody eats a well-done hamburger.

The same reactive intermediate that damages DNA can modify hemoglobin and albumin. And we try to see what kind of levels of these reactive intermediates are in our bodies versus, you know, a high dose rat or mouse or, or a cell system. Right. So, um, Other things that we can do is we can look at people's urine after somebody eats a well-done hamburger.

And I told you, I can measure, I can determine, I could tell whether someone is a meat eater or vegetarian because vegetarians won't have this carcinogen. We could look at a meat eater. These chemicals I told you get changed to get metabolized. And we can look at the urine of different individuals because there's going to be a different pattern of metabolism that

And I told you, I can measure, I can determine, I could tell whether someone is a meat eater or vegetarian because vegetarians won't have this carcinogen. We could look at a meat eater. These chemicals I told you get changed to get metabolized. And we can look at the urine of different individuals because there's going to be a different pattern of metabolism that