title: The use of a whey protein concentrate in the treatment of patients with metastatic carcinoma: a phase I-II clinical study.
abstract: Glutathione (GSH) concentration is high in most tumour cells and this may be an important factor in resistance to chemotherapy. Previous in-vitro and animal experiments have shown a differential response of tumour versus normal cells to various cysteine delivery systems. More specifically, an in-vitro assay showed that at concentrations that induce GSH synthesis in normal human cells, a specially prepared whey protein concentrate, Immunocal, caused GSH depletion and inhibition of proliferation in human breast cancer cells. On the basis of this information five patients with metastatic carcinoma of the breast, one of the pancreas and one of the liver were fed 30 grams of this whey protein concentrate daily for six months. In six patients the blood lymphocyte GSH levels were substantially above normal at the outset, reflecting high tumour GSH levels. Two patients (#1, #3) exhibited signs of tumour regression, normalization of haemoglobin and peripheral lymphocyte counts and a sustained drop of lymphocyte GSH levels towards normal. Two patients (#2, #7) showed stabilisation of the tumour, increased haemoglobin levels. In three patients (#4, #5, #6,) the disease progressed with a trend toward higher lymphocyte GSH levels. These results indicate that whey protein concentrate might deplete tumour cells of GSH and render them more vulnerable to chemotherapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada.
authors.forename: R S
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Kennedy
authors.forename: G P
authors.initials: GP
authors.lastname: Konok
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Bounous
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baruchel
authors.forename: T D
authors.initials: TD
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000230:Adenocarcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology*; D002277:Carcinoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018270:Carcinoma, Ductal, Breast / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000473:pathology / Q000556:secondary*; D003545:Cysteine / Q000502:physiology; D005260:Female; D005978:Glutathione / Q000378:metabolism*; D006454:Hemoglobins / Q000032:analysis; D006801:Humans; D007768:Lactalbumin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D007781:Lactoferrin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000556:secondary; D018655:Lymphocyte Count / Q000187:drug effects; D008214:Lymphocytes / Q000378:metabolism; D008875:Middle Aged; D008894:Milk Proteins / Q000737:chemistry / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000378:metabolism; D009382:Neoplasms, Unknown Primary; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology; D000067816:Whey Proteins
chemical_list: D006454:Hemoglobins; D008894:Milk Proteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D000067816:Whey Proteins; D012710:Serum Albumin, Bovine; D007768:Lactalbumin; D007781:Lactoferrin; D005978:Glutathione; D003545:Cysteine