Prospective cohort comparison of flavonoid treatment in patients with resected colorectal cancer to prevent recurrence.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate biological prevention with flavonoids the recurrence risk of neoplasia was studied in patients with resected colorectal cancer and after adenoma polypectomy.


METHODS
Eighty-seven patients, 36 patients with resected colon cancer and 51 patients after polypectomy, were divided into 2 groups: one group was treated with a flavonoid mixture (daily standard dose 20 mg apigenin and 20 mg epigallocathechin-gallat, n = 31) and compared with a matched control group (n = 56). Both groups were observed for 3-4 years by surveillance colonoscopy and by questionnaire.


RESULTS
Of 87 patients enrolled in this study, 36 had resected colon cancer and 29 of these patients had surveillance colonoscopy. Among the flavonoid-treated patients with resected colon cancer (n = 14), there was no cancer recurrence and one adenoma developed. In contrast the cancer recurrence rate of the 15 matched untreated controls was 20% (3 of 15) and adenomas evolved in 4 of those patients (27%). The combined recurrence rate for neoplasia was 7% (1 of 14) in the treated patients and 47% (7 of 15) in the controls (P = 0.027).


CONCLUSIONS
Sustained long-term treatment with a flavonoid mixture could reduce the recurrence rate of colon neoplasia in patients with resected colon cancer.
Hoensch
Harald
H
Marien-hospital Darmstadt, Martinspfad 72, Darmstadt D-64285, Germany. h.p.hoensch@vff.uni-frankfurt.de
Groh
Bertram
B
Edler
Lutz
L
Kirch
Wilhelm
W
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D047310:Apigenin / Q000494:pharmacology; D002392:Catechin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000494:pharmacology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D003106:Colon / Q000473:pathology; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000601:surgery; D005260:Female; D005419:Flavonoids / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012008:Recurrence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
D005419:Flavonoids; D047310:Apigenin; D002392:Catechin; C045651:epigallocatechin gallate