Pomegranates slow prostate cancer xenograft growth and prolong PSA doubling times in single-arm human studies.
Pomegranates' effects on human prostate tissue are understudied. We hypothesized orally administered pomegranate extract (POMx; PomWonderful, Los Angeles, CA) would lower tissue 8-hydroxy-2-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG), an oxidative stress biomarker. 70 men were randomized to 2 tablets POMx or placebo daily up to 4 weeks prior to radical prostatectomy. Tissue was analyzed for intra-prostatic Urolithin A, a pomegranate metabolite, benign and malignant 8-OHdG, and cancer pS6 kinase, NFκB, and Ki67. Primary end-point was differences in 8-OHdG powered to detect 30% reduction. POMx was associated with 16% lower benign tissue 8-OHdG (p=0.095), which was not statistically significant. POMx was well-tolerated with no treatment-related withdrawals. There were no differences in baseline clinicopathological features between arms. Urolithin A was detected in 21/33 patient in the POMx group vs. 12/35 in the placebo group (p=0.031). Cancer pS6 kinase, NFκB, Ki67, and serum PSA changes were similar between arms. POMx prior to surgery results in pomegranate metabolite accumulation in prostate tissues. Our primary end-point in this modest-sized short-term trial was negative. Future larger longer studies are needed to more definitely test whether POMx reduces prostate oxidative stress as well as further animal testing to better understand the multiple mechanisms through which POMx may alter prostate cancer biology.
Written by:
Freedland SJ, Carducci MA, Kroeger N, Partin AW, Rao J, Jin Y, Kerkoutian S, Wu H, Li Y, Creel P, Mundy K, Gurganus R, Fedor H, King S, Zhang Y, Heber D, Pantuck AJ. Are you the author?
Div. of Urology, Dept. of Surgery, Duke University Medical Center, DUMC 2626, Durham, NC, 27710, United States.
Reference: Cancer Prev Res (Phila). 2013 Aug 28. Epub ahead of print.
doi: 10.1158/1940-6207.CAPR-12-0423
PubMed Abstract
PMID: 23985577
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