Role of herbal compounds (PC-SPES) in hormone-refractory prostate cancer: two case reports.

PURPOSE: 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.

METHODS

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.

RESULTS

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.

CONCLUSION

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.