HERBAL THERAPY PC-SPES: IN VITRO EFFECTS AND EVALUATION OF ITS EFFICACY IN 69 PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE CANCER

Abstract

No AccessJournal of UrologyOriginal Articles1 Oct 2000HERBAL THERAPY PC-SPES: IN VITRO EFFECTS AND EVALUATION OF ITS EFFICACY IN 69 PATIENTS WITH PROSTATE CANCER ALEXANDRE DE LA TAILLE, RALPH BUTTYAN, OMAR HAYEK, EMILIA BAGIELLA, AHMAD SHABSIGH, MARTIN BURCHARDT, TATJANA BURCHARDT, DOMINIQUE K. CHOPIN, and AARON E. KATZ ALEXANDRE DE LA TAILLEALEXANDRE DE LA TAILLE , RALPH BUTTYANRALPH BUTTYAN , OMAR HAYEKOMAR HAYEK , EMILIA BAGIELLAEMILIA BAGIELLA , AHMAD SHABSIGHAHMAD SHABSIGH , MARTIN BURCHARDTMARTIN BURCHARDT , TATJANA BURCHARDTTATJANA BURCHARDT , DOMINIQUE K. CHOPINDOMINIQUE K. CHOPIN , and AARON E. KATZAARON E. KATZ View All Author Informationhttps://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-5347(05)67146-7AboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissionsReprints ShareFacebookLinked InTwitterEmail Abstract Purpose: We investigate the potential use of the phytotherapeutic PC-SPES to treat human prostate cancer, and evaluate its in vivo and in vitro activity, and clinical efficacy. Materials and Methods: PC-SPES was evaluated for its ability to induce apoptosis on prostate cancer cell lines LNCaP, PC3 and DU145. The effect of oral PC-SPES on growth of PC3 tumors present in male immunodeficient mice was studied. A total of 30 male nude mice were divided in 5 groups. In groups 1 control and 2 full dose therapy was started the same day of the tumor injection. In groups 3 control, 4 half dose and 5 full dose PC-SPES therapy was initiated 1 week after tumor injection. A total of 69 patients with prostate cancer were treated with 3 capsules of 320 mg. PC-SPES daily. Serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) responses and side effects were evaluated. Results: All of the cultured prostate cancer cell lines had a significant dose dependent induction of apoptosis following exposure to an alcoholic PC-SPES extract. Immunodeficient mice xenografted with the PC3 cell line had reduced tumor volume compared with sham treated controls when they were treated with a PC-SPES extract from the time of tumor cell implantation (931 ± 89 versus 1,424 ± 685 mm.3, p not significant) but not when the treatment was begun 1 week after tumor cell implantation. The testis, prostate, bladder and seminal vesicles of the treated mice were significantly reduced in weight compared with the sham treated animals. Of the patients with prostate cancer 82% had decreased serum PSA 2 months, 78% 6 months and 88% 12 months after treatment with PC-SPES. Side effects in the treated patient population included nipple tenderness in 42% and phlebitis requiring heparinization in 2%. Conclusions: An extract of the phytotherapeutic agent PC-SPES proved to be active in inducing apoptosis of hormone sensitive and insensitive prostate cancer cells in vitro, and in suppressing the growth rate of a hormone insensitive prostate cancer cell line in vivo. The overwhelming majority of patients with prostate cancer treated with the agent experienced a decrease in serum PSA but also demonstrated a side effect profile comparable to estrogen treatment. References 1 : Cancer statistics, 1999. CA Cancer J Clin1999; 49: 8. Google Scholar 2 : Do diet and androgens alter prostate cancer risk via a common etiologic pathway?. J Natl Cancer Inst1994; 86: 252. Google Scholar 3 : Prevalence and patterns of the use of complementary therapies among prostate cancer patients: an epidemiological analysis. J Urol1999; 161: 1521. Link, Google Scholar 4 : Inhibition of human estrogen synthetase (aromatase) by flavones. Science1984; 225: 1032. 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Link, Google Scholar From the Squier Urological Clinic, Department of Urology, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center and Department of Biostatistic, Columbia University, School of Public Health, New York, New York, and Department of Urology, Henri Mondor Hospital, Créteil, France© 2000 by American Urological Association, Inc.FiguresReferencesRelatedDetails Volume 164Issue 4October 2000Page: 1229-1234 Advertisement Copyright & Permissions© 2000 by American Urological Association, Inc.Keywordshormonesprostatic neoplasmsprostate-specific antigenmedicine, herbalMetricsAuthor Information ALEXANDRE DE LA TAILLE More articles by this author RALPH BUTTYAN More articles by this author OMAR HAYEK More articles by this author EMILIA BAGIELLA More articles by this author AHMAD SHABSIGH More articles by this author MARTIN BURCHARDT More articles by this author TATJANA BURCHARDT More articles by this author DOMINIQUE K. CHOPIN More articles by this author AARON E. KATZ More articles by this author Expand All Advertisement PDF downloadLoading ...