Archive for the ‘Androgren Deprivation’ Category

Curcumin May Support Body’s Ability to Slow Prostate Tumor Growth

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Posted 18 Feb 2012 — by James Street
Category Androgren Deprivation, CPB, CURCUMIN, p300, Prostate Cancer

ProHealth.com
February 11, 2012
Source: Thomas Jefferson University news release, Feb 10, 2012

Curcumin, an active component of the Indian curry spice turmeric, may help the body slow tumor growth in prostate cancer patients whose cancers become resistant to androgen deprivation therapy (ADT), a study by researchers at Thomas Jefferson University suggests.

The situation in these patients is that, over time, prostate cancer cells can start to become resistant to hormonal therapies designed to block the release and/or uptake of androgen (testosterone), which is an important male hormone in the development and progression of prostate cancer: Two known nuclear receptor activators, p300 and CPB (or CREB1-binding protein), have been shown to work against androgen deprivation therapy, and with their help, sophisticated tumor cells sometimes bypass the therapy (become ADT resistant).

But the TJU team, led by cancer biologist Karen Knudsen, PhD, have observed in a pre-clinical (animal) study that supplementation with curcumin may support suppression of p300 and CPB.

As described in their report, published in the February issue of Cancer Research, they began by studying prostate cancer cells subjected to hormone deprivation – both without curcumin and with curcumin in doses that were “physiologically attainable.” (Previous studies, which found similar results, had involved doses that were not realistic.)

They found that the curcumin supported greater ADT results, and reduced cell numbers compared with ADT alone. Moreover, the curcumin was found to be a potent inhibitor of both cell cycle and survival in prostate cancer cells.

Next, the researchers investigated curcumin supplementation in a study involving mice that were castrated to mimic ADT. They were randomized into two cohorts: curcumin and control. Tumor growth and mass were significantly reduced in the mice supplemented with curcumin, the researchers report.

These data demonstrate for the first time that curcumin helps the body to both hamper the transition of ADT-sensitive disease to castration-resistance, and block the growth of established castrate-resistant prostate tumors, the researchers say. And “It also has implications beyond prostate cancer, since p300 and CBP are important in other malignancies, like breast cancer.”

Note: This information has not been evaluated by the FDA. It is general information and is not meant to prevent, diagnose, treat or cure any illness, condition or disease. It is very important that you make no change in your healthcare plan or health support regimen without researching and discussing it in collaboration with your professional healthcare team.

ADT plus Radiation for Early, Localized Prostate Cancer

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Posted 26 Jul 2011 — by James Street
Category Androgren Deprivation, Prostate Cancer

Combined short-course androgen-deprivation therapy and external beam radiotherapy conferred a survival benefit to men with intermediate-risk disease.

The use of androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) as an adjunct to radiotherapy (RT) has been shown to improve disease-free and overall survival in men with high-risk localized prostate cancer or locally advanced disease. To determine whether this therapy also has survival benefits in patients with earlier-stage disease, researchers conducted a phase III trial, involving 1979 men with stage T1b, T1c, T2a, or T2b prostate adenocarcinoma and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels ≤20. The median age of participants was 71; 35% had low-risk disease, 54% had intermediate-risk disease, and 11% had high-risk disease.

Patients were randomized to undergo external beam RT (total dose, 66.6 Gy) with or without 4 months of ADT. During a median follow-up of approximately 9 years, the combined-therapy group had significantly better 10-year outcomes than the RT-alone group, including a higher rate of overall survival (62% vs. 57%; P=0.03), a lower rate of prostate cancer–specific mortality (4% vs. 8%; P=0.001), and a lower rate of biochemical failure (26% vs. 41%; P<0.001).

In an unplanned subgroup analysis, the mortality benefits of combined therapy were limited to men with intermediate-risk disease. Overall, radiation-induced adverse effects, both acute and late, were similar between the treatment groups.

Comment: Although the subgroup analysis was not prespecified, it provides good evidence that adding ADT to external beam RT is not beneficial in men with low-risk disease. An editorialist states that, on the basis of these data and emerging evidence of potentially significant toxicity with ADT, one can reasonably conclude that hormonal therapy is not indicated for low-risk patients. The editorialist and the study authors note that, for high-risk patients, the duration of ADT used was probably not sufficient to see the expected benefit. For intermediate-risk patients, adding ADT to RT improved survival, but is the hormonal therapy necessary now that patients can safely receive higher doses of radiation? This question is currently being addressed in the RTOG 0815 trial, which compares dose-escalated RT alone to dose-escalated RT plus 6 months of ADT in intermediate-risk patients.

— Robert Dreicer, MD, MS, FACP

Published in Journal Watch Oncology and Hematology July 26, 2011

Citation(s):

Jones CU et al. Radiotherapy and short-term androgen deprivation for localized prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2011 Jul 14; 365:107.

D’Amico AV. Risk-based management of prostate cancer. N Engl J Med 2011 Jul 14; 365:169.