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1st
appeared 19 May 1999
Herbal Therapy Reduces PSA Levels by Half in
Men with Advanced Prostate Cancer, UCSF Study Shows
In one of the first studies of its kind, UCSF researchers report that an herbal compound
significantly reduced prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels, an indicator of cancer
cells, in men with advanced prostate cancer.
 In response to the herbal compound, seventy-five percent
of the men in the UCSF study experienced more than a 50 percent decline in their PSA
levels. Men in the study include those who had never received hormonal therapy before
(hormone-naive) and patients with hormone-resistant prostate cancer, whose tumors no
longer responded to hormonal therapies.
The compound, called PC-SPES ("PC" stands for prostate cancer, "SPES"
is Latin for hope) is a combination of eight Chinese herbs, the most common of which is
saw palmetto. It is commercially available at health food stores as an over-the-counter
supplement for the treatment of prostate cancer.
During the UCSF study, a total of 61 men (27 with hormone-naive prostate cancer, and 34
with hormone-resistant prostate cancer) were clinically evaluated for preliminary results.
Study participants received nine capsules daily of PC-SPES. The majority of these men are
still enrolled in the clinical trial and continuing treatment at this time.
"Our findings suggest that PC-SPES may have efficacy as a treatment for some men with
prostate cancer," said Eric Small, UCSF assistant clinical professor of medicine,
co-author of the study. "However, as of yet, we cannot precisely pinpoint the
estrogenic or active anti-cancer ingredients, if any, that PC-SPES may contain."
Small reports that 27 (100 percent) of the hormone-naive patients experienced more than a
50 percent decline in their PSA levels. Likewise, 19 out of 34 (58 percent)
hormone-resistant patients also demonstrated more than a 50 percent decline in their PSA
levels.
He notes that the study's results are preliminary and require further evaluation and a
longer follow-up period (minimum of two years). Although not all of the study participants
were eligible for evaluation at this time, a total of seventy men have enrolled in the
study and begun treatment with PC-SPES.
In addition, Small reports that shrinkage of some of the men's prostate cancer tumors was
observed. Some of the side effects of the compound included impotency, lowered sex drive
and breast tenderness -- all common conditions associated with hormonal therapies.
However, overall, the therapy was well tolerated.
Links:
UCSF press release
Cancer Specialist Joins
National Clinical Trials Consortium
UCSF Cancer Center
Source: Abby Sinnott, News Services |
