Positive Health Online

Abstract

BYLUND and colleagues, Department of Oncology, University of Umea, Umea, Sweden. Annika.Byland@germed.umu.se studied whether dietary intervention could inhibit tumour growth of an androgen-sensitive human prostate cancer.

Background

Methodology

LNCaP cells were transplanted into nude-mice. Animals were provided different diets: the control diet (corn starch, sucrose, etc,) the rye bran (RB) and the soy protein (SCC) diets. Tumour take, tumour growth and prostate specific antigen (PSA) secretion were studied during 9 weeks.

Results

Palpable tumours developed in 75% of the tumour-cell injected sites of animals fed the control diet; whereas palpable tumours were seen in only 30% of the animals on the RB diet and 50% on the SCC diet. The tumours which grew to palpable size in the rye (RB) and soy(SCC) groups were smaller and secreted less PSA than those in the control group. Tumour cell apoptosis was increased in the rye and soy groups; however, cell proliferation was unaffected. The addition of fat to the rye diet reduced its effect upon prostate cancer growth.

Conclusion

Factors in rye bran and soy protein may inhibit prostate cancer growth. This effect is more apparent for rye than in soy. Further studies are required in order to identify the effective agents and to explain the mechanisms of action.

References

Bylund A et al. Rye bran and soy protein delay growth and increase apoptosis of human LNCaP prostate adenocarcinoma in nude mice. The Prostate 42(4): 304-14. 1 Mar 2000.

Comment

This may be an exceedingly important result and one that should be followed up in great detail.