LOS ANGELESTwo new clinical trials featuring dietary supplements offer encouraging results for patients with prostate cancer.
The first, published in the Journal of Cancer Science and Therapy, found curcumin supplementation (as BCM-95® Curcumin from DolCas Biotech) significantly reduced therapy-related urinary symptoms in those undergoing radiation therapy (J Cancer Sci Ther. 2013, 5.10). In the study, 40 prostate cancer patients in external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) took either 3 g/d curcumin or placebo. Researchers measured seven urinary factors including urinary urgency, daytime urinary frequency and incontinence. The curcumin supplemented group experienced significant decreases in overall symptoms, including a 50-percent reduction in daytime urinary incidence and 40-percent decrease in incidence of daily activity limitations, compared to placebo.
The study authors also noted, "It seems that at least in short term, curcumin does not have any unfavorable effect on treatment outcomes."
Interim results from the Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center at the University of Southern California found a patented combination of green tea extract, saw palmetto fruit extract, lycopene, vitamin D and vitamin E (as Prostate Health Cocktail from OncoNatural) stabilized prostate specific antigen (PSA) in men with recurrent prostate cancer.
Forty men competed the phase-two clinical trial; 23 percent of subjects had undergone primary radiation, 25 percent had undergone prostatectomy and 52 percent had both. PSA levels stabilized in 83 percent of participants after 12 weeks of supplementation, and 37.5 percent experienced declines.
Final results of the study are awaiting publication.