Fermented Wheat Germ Extract (FWGE) as a Treatment Additive for Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: A Pilot Clinical Trial.

Castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is a devastating and incurable disease. Combined therapy using conventional anticancer drugs and a proprietary medical nutriment, fermented wheat germ extract (FWGE), also known as Avemar, has been suggested as a treatment for progressing prostate cancer (PCa) patients, who have become resistant to first line hormonal therapy (gonadotropin releasing hormone, GnRH). The primary aim of this study was to test if this combined therapy would slow down disease progression in CRPC patients. We tested the nontoxic, readily available, inexpensive FWGE, together with the conventional treatment, GnRH analogue, in 36 CRPC patients. Although this is a pilot study, with the drawback of a statistically small sample size, some anticancer clinical activity of FWGE could be seen in the CRPC patients, as measured by prostate specific antigen doubling time (PSADT). We found that the intake of GnRH with FWGE for at least 4 months, improved the overall health as well as the quality of life (QOL) in 4 patients (11%) and was instrumental in extending the PSADT in about 17 (out of 26) patients (65.4%), six of whom were significant. Since no mentionable adverse events were noticed, this treatment may permit the postponement of chemotherapy for these patients.

Immunosuppressive treatments reduce long-term immunity to smallpox among patients with breast cancer.

BACKGROUND: Mass vaccination is the principal preventive measure against a smallpox outbreak after an act of bioterrorism. Vaccination of subjects who received immunosuppressive therapies is problematic because of smallpox vaccine reactogenicity. Moreover, long-term immunity to vaccinia might be affected. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to examine the effect of cytotoxic chemotherapy on long-term immunity to vaccinia. METHODS: In a case-control study, 67 patients with breast cancer who received cytotoxic chemotherapy and who were disease free for at least 1 year were matched with healthy controls according to age, sex, and the number of smallpox vaccinations received. Markers of immunity to smallpox were examined. Forty-one patients with breast cancer who did not receive chemotherapy were used to assess the affect of cancer and radiotherapy on immunity to smallpox. RESULTS: Patients with breast cancer who received chemotherapy had lower levels of vaccinia total immunoglobulin G and immunoglobulin G1 (expressed as enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay units per milliliter), neutralizing antibodies, vaccinia:memory B cell ratio (expressed as a percentage), and interferon-gamma level (expressed as picograms per milliliter), compared with healthy control individuals. CONCLUSIONS: Immunity to smallpox is reduced after receipt of chemotherapy for breast cancer. This finding should be considered when planning smallpox vaccination campaigns. The effect of immunosuppressive treatments on persistence of immunity should be tested with respect to additional vaccines or natural infections.

Diagnosing diseases by measurement of electrical skin impedance: a novel technique.

Recently, we have seen the development of diagnostic tools based on the rationale that the measurement of electrical impedance of specific dermal zones might reflect the occurrence of pathological states in corresponding internal organs. Studies published lately have shown the diagnostic potential of this technique. We set out to evaluate the accuracy of this tool in diagnosing cancer. Our study group was composed of cancer patients visiting the Oncology clinic for a routine follow-up. All patients underwent conventional medical history and physical examination by a physician. We evaluated a device manufactured by Medex Screen Ltd. The device analysis was carried out by a physician who was blinded to the previous diagnosis. A third researcher compared the "conventional" diagnosis with the Medex device output using standard statistical analysis. Overall, 125 cancer patients were included in the study. When comparing Medex Screen diagnostic technique with the conventional methods of diagnosis for the various disorders we found a sensitivity of 76.2%, 78.7%, and 92.9% and a specificity of 95.0%, 90.7%, and 90.4% for lung, breast, and prostate cancer, respectively. Existence of metastatic disease or specific treatment did not affect the diagnostic properties of the described device. Although the exact mechanism is not entirely clear, measurement of electrical impedance of dermal-visceral zones has the potential to serve as a diagnostic and perhaps a screening tool for neoplastic pathologies. Further research should be conducted to create more evidence to support or dispute the use of this technique as a reliable diagnostic tool.

Adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin in cancer cachexia in breast and colon cancer patients.

BACKGROUND: The hormone ghrelin and the adipocytokines leptin and adiponectin participate in body weight regulation. In response to weight loss, ghrelin and adiponectin levels increase and leptin decreases. Cancer cachexia is a complex metabolic state, characterized by loss of muscle mass and adipose tissue together with anorexia. The authors hypothesized that responses of these hormones may be attenuated in cancer cachexia. METHODS: Fasting plasma ghrelin, adiponectin, and leptin levels, as well as weight loss, were determined in 40 cancer patients: 18 of them suffered from cancer-induced cachexia, and 22 served as a comparison group. Hormone levels were measured before administration of cancer therapy. RESULTS: A similar distribution of age, gender, and diagnosis was observed in both study groups, but the cachectic patients had higher rates of metastatic disease and lower albumin levels. No significant correlation was observed between plasma adiponectin levels and weight loss. Mean plasma ghrelin levels were higher among cachectic compared with noncachectic patients. Notably, the association between ghrelin levels and weight loss was only modest, and in a third of the cachectic patients, ghrelin levels were equal to or lower than those in the noncachectic group. Plasma leptin levels showed gender-dependent associations, and significantly lower levels were found among cachectic women but not among cachectic men. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggested a gender-dependent attenuation of expected physiologic responses to weight loss among cancer cachexia patients. Thus, impaired response of adiponectin, ghrelin, and leptin may play a role in the pathogenesis of cancer cachexia syndrome.