Italian scientists on Monday said they had identified a molecule that could one day protect men from prostate cancer. Lab experiments showed that mice incapable of producing the protein clusterin all developed highly aggressive prostate tumors that grew and spread rapidly. Oncologist Arturo Sala of the Institute of Child Health in London said Monday ''this strongly suggests that clusterin can effectively suppress tumor growth''. The findings by Sala and University of Parma researcher Saverio Bettuzzi were published in the scientific journal Oncogene.

The scientists said further research into clusterin could lead to preventive therapies to keep prostate tumors from developing. Prostate cancer is the ninth most common cancer in the world, affecting roughly one in eight of all men between the ages of 60 and 80. Around 9,000 Italians are diagnosed with the disease every year according to the Italian Association for Cancer (AIRC) Research, though early detection helps keep survival rates over 70%. Until preventive medications become available, the AIRC says the best defense against prostate cancer is regular screening for men 45 years old and up. A family history of prostate cancer and diets heavy in saturated fats are also considered risk factors for the disease. Pettuzzi added that a diet rich in vegetables and green tea may help curb the risk of contracting prostate cancer. Photo: Cancerous cells in the prostate