de la Taille A, Hayek O R, Burchardt M, Burchardt T, Katz A E
The Squier Urological Clinic, Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons, Department of Urology, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center, New York, USA.
J Altern Complement Med. 2000 Oct;6(5):449-51. doi: 10.1089/acm.2000.6.449.
Herbal therapies are unconventional treatments that have been used for several different diseases. PC-SPES is an herbal mixture, composed of eight different herbs (chrysanthemum, isatis, licorice, Ganoderma lucidum, Panax pseudo-ginseng, Rabdosia rubescens, saw palmetto, and scutellaria), which has been used as an alternative in the treatment of prostate cancer. We report two cases of hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients, who showed a favorable response to therapy with this herbal combination, controlling the progression of the disease.
We report two cases of biopsy proven prostate cancer patients with metastatic disease, treated with total androgen blockade, progressing to an androgen-independent status. These patients were offered traditional therapies for hormone-resistant prostate cancer, and they chose to take PC-SPES. The follow-up as well as their evolution are described.
PC-SPES extract decreased the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) value for both patients from an initial value of 100 and 386 ng/mL to 24 and 114 ng/mL after 1 year and 4 months, respectively, remaining stable until now. No gynecomastia or hot flashes were observed in these patients and the treatment was well tolerated.
PC-SPES has shown a strong estrogenic in vitro and in vivo activity as an alternative tool in the management of prostate cancer patients. These cases suggest that PC-SPES might have some potential activity against hormone-independent prostate cancers.
草药疗法是用于多种不同疾病的非常规治疗方法。PC-SPES是一种草药混合物，由八种不同的草药（菊花、板蓝根、甘草、灵芝、三七、冬凌草、锯叶棕和黄芩）组成，已被用作前列腺癌治疗的替代方法。我们报告了两例激素难治性前列腺癌患者，他们对这种草药组合治疗显示出良好反应，控制了疾病进展。
我们报告了两例经活检证实的前列腺癌转移患者，接受全雄激素阻断治疗后进展为雄激素非依赖状态。这些患者接受了激素抵抗性前列腺癌的传统治疗，他们选择服用PC-SPES。描述了随访情况及其病情发展。
PC-SPES提取物使两名患者的前列腺特异性抗原（PSA）值分别从初始值100和386 ng/mL在1年和4个月后降至24和114 ng/mL，至今保持稳定。这些患者未观察到乳腺增生或潮热，且治疗耐受性良好。
PC-SPES在体外和体内均显示出较强的雌激素活性，可作为管理前列腺癌患者的一种替代工具。这些病例表明，PC-SPES可能对激素非依赖性前列腺癌具有一定的潜在活性。
