title: Herbal supplement PC-Spes for prostate cancer.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the efficacy and toxicity of the herbal supplement PC-Spes in prostate cancer patients.
  
  
  METHODS
  Literature search through MEDLINE (1966-October 2001), PubMed, and abstracts from the Annual Meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology (1995-2001).
  
  
  RESULTS
  PC-Spes was associated with biochemical and clinical response in some prostate cancer patients. The mechanisms of action of PC-Spes appeared to be related to its estrogenic activity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  PC-Spes is associated with some efficacy in prostate cancer patients. Due to the limited data available, it should not be used to replace standard androgen suppression therapy in androgen-dependent patients. PC-Spes may have a role for patients who have failed standard treatments for androgen-independent disease and have no history of thromboembolism or abnormal bleeding. PC-Spes has a toxicity profile similar to those of androgen suppression and estrogen therapy.
authors.affiliation: Provincial Systemic Therapy Program, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 600 W. 10th Ave., Vancouver V5Z 4E6, British Columbia, Canada. mdelemos@bccancer.bc.ca
authors.forename: Mário L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: de Lemos
mesh_terms: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D006177:Gynecomastia / Q000139:chemically induced; D006801:Humans; D007989:Libido / Q000187:drug effects; D008297:Male; D010936:Plant Extracts / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen / Q000032:analysis; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012196:Review Literature as Topic; D020922:Sleep-Wake Transition Disorders / Q000139:chemically induced; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000972:Antineoplastic Agents, Phytogenic; D004365:Drugs, Chinese Herbal; D010936:Plant Extracts; C114209:herbal preparation PC-SPES; D017430:Prostate-Specific Antigen