Lycopene for advanced hormone refractory prostate cancer: a prospective, open phase II pilot study.
OBJECTIVE
We investigated the influence of lycopene on the clinical and laboratory course in men with hormone refractory prostate cancer. To our knowledge this study represents the first time that subjective assessments of the course of therapy have been recorded.


METHODS
We performed a prospective, open phase II pilot study, in which patients with progressive hormone refractory prostate cancer were included. Lycopene supplementation (15 mg) was given daily for 6 months. Followup laboratory tests and clinical examinations were done monthly. Changes to analgesic use and quality of life (European Organisation for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30) were measured. The study end point was a significant change in serum prostate specific antigen, clinical progression or the end of the 6-month observation period.


RESULTS
A total of 18 patients 64 to 85 years old (median age 73) were enrolled in the study during a 20-month period, of whom 17 could be analyzed. Five of the 17 patients (29%) withdrew from the study prematurely, including 4 of 5 because of prostate specific antigen progression and/or tumor associated complications, and 1 due to an allergic reaction to lycopene. Median prostate specific antigen doubled in 6 months from 42.7 ng/ml (range 13.8 to 521.6) in 17 patients to 96.4 ng/ml (range 13.5 to 1,240) in 12. Stable prostate specific antigen was observed in 5 of 17 patients (29%). None of the patients had a greater than 50% decrease in prostate specific antigen. Patients experienced a slight deterioration in mean health status at the end of the study compared to the outset. However, two-thirds of the patients experienced an improved or unchanged situation regardless of the clinical and biochemical course.


CONCLUSIONS
No clinically relevant benefits were shown for patients with advanced stages of the disease.
Schwenke
Carla
C
Departments of Urology and Paediatric Urology and Philipp-Klee-Institute for Clinical Pharmacology (PT), Witten/Herdecke University, Witten and Helios-Hospital of Wuppertal, Wuppertal, Germany.
Ubrig
Burkhard
B
Thürmann
Petra
P
Eggersmann
Christian
C
Roth
Stephan
S
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002338:Carotenoids / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D018450:Disease Progression; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D006801:Humans; D000077276:Lycopene; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009919:Orchiectomy; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology / Q000628:therapy; D017211:Treatment Failure
D016588:Anticarcinogenic Agents; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone; D002338:Carotenoids; D000077276:Lycopene