03.01.02
Indication: Prostate cancer
Source: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2002 Dec;11(12):1689-96.
Research: Thirty-eight patients were recruited to the study upon diagnosis of prostate cancer. Before surgery 20 men consumed 160 mg/day of red clover-derived dietary isoflavones, which contained a mixture of genistein, daidzein, formononetin and biochanin A. Serum PSA, testosterone and biochemical factors were measured, and clinical and pathological parameters were recorded. The incidence of apoptosis in prostate tumor cells from radical prostatectomy specimens was compared between 18 treated and 18 untreated control tissues.
Results: There were no significant differences between pre- and posttreatment serum PSA, Gleason score, serum testosterone or biochemical factors in the treated patients. Apoptosis in radical prostatectomy specimens from treated patients was significantly higher than in control subjects, specifically in regions of low to moderate-grade cancer (Gleason grade 1-3). No adverse events related to the treatment were reported. The study’s authors suggested that dietary isoflavones may halt the progression of prostate cancer by inducing apoptosis in low to moderate-grade tumors, potentially contributing to the lower incidence of clinically significant disease in Asian men. The assessment of new prostatic therapies aimed at increasing apoptosis should control for intake of dietary isoflavones.
Source: Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2002 Dec;11(12):1689-96.
Research: Thirty-eight patients were recruited to the study upon diagnosis of prostate cancer. Before surgery 20 men consumed 160 mg/day of red clover-derived dietary isoflavones, which contained a mixture of genistein, daidzein, formononetin and biochanin A. Serum PSA, testosterone and biochemical factors were measured, and clinical and pathological parameters were recorded. The incidence of apoptosis in prostate tumor cells from radical prostatectomy specimens was compared between 18 treated and 18 untreated control tissues.
Results: There were no significant differences between pre- and posttreatment serum PSA, Gleason score, serum testosterone or biochemical factors in the treated patients. Apoptosis in radical prostatectomy specimens from treated patients was significantly higher than in control subjects, specifically in regions of low to moderate-grade cancer (Gleason grade 1-3). No adverse events related to the treatment were reported. The study’s authors suggested that dietary isoflavones may halt the progression of prostate cancer by inducing apoptosis in low to moderate-grade tumors, potentially contributing to the lower incidence of clinically significant disease in Asian men. The assessment of new prostatic therapies aimed at increasing apoptosis should control for intake of dietary isoflavones.