A plant-based supplement made with broccoli, green tea and turmeric was effective in slowing the rise of a key blood marker of prostate cancer in men under active surveillance in the early stages of the disease, without any modifications to conventional treatment protocols, a clinical trial shows.
The study, conducted in collaboration between the University of Bedfordshire and Cambridge University Hospitals, focused on measuring changes in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels, an indicator often used to determine when to move from monitoring to therapeutic intervention.
The trial was led by Professor Robert Thomas, a consultant oncologist at Cambridge University Hospitals, and involved 208 men with low-risk prostate cancer, who were all under active surveillance. The study lasted for 4 months, during which participants received capsules containing a concentrated mixture of 6 plant foods, while half of them also received probiotic supplements, while the other half received a placebo.
Early prostate cancer
Before the intervention, PSA levels rose by approximately 20% over a 4-month period. But during the study period, this increase slowed to 6.5% in those who took the plant supplement alone, while PSA levels decreased by 21.4% in those who combined the supplement with probiotics.
These differences are of great clinical importance, because the rapid rise in PSA levels often leads patients to choose surgery or radiation therapy.
MRI scans supported these results, showing that 18% of participants in the placebo group had signs of disease progression, compared to only 7.8% in the “probiotics” group. Participants also reported an improvement in urination symptoms by approximately 25%, and a slight improvement in sexual function.
However, the researchers emphasize that the duration of the study is relatively short for a disease that develops over many years, and does not allow conclusions to be drawn about reducing mortality or the need for surgery. Also, the results cannot be generalized to all supplements available on the market.
The study, published in the journal European Urology Oncology, opens the door to longer-term and more diverse population-based research to determine whether this dietary approach can become a recognized supportive tool in the management of early prostate cancer.
