Pomegranate

Pomegranate juice may slow the progression of post-treatment prostate cancer recurrence, according to new long-term research results presented at the 104th Annual Scientific Meeting of the American Urological Association (AUA), April 2009.

Researchers found that men who have undergone treatment for localized prostate cancer could benefit from drinking pomegranate juice by seeing a significant slowing of the rate of rising in their PSA (prostate specific antigen).

The two-stage clinical trial followed a total of 48 participants over six years. Eligible men had a rising PSA after surgery or radiotherapy, a PSA greater than 0.2 ng/ml and less than 5 ng/ml and a Gleason score of 7 or lower.

Patients in the “active” arm of the study were prescribed eight ounces of pomegranate juice daily.  Currently, in the sixth year of treatment, the  men who are drinking the pomegranate juice and who remain on the study have a median total follow-up of 56 months. The pomegranate juice appears to impact their PSA doubling time.

This was not a full-scale randomized, placebo controlled study. Researchers compared active pomegranate juice-drinking patients, who remain on the study, with non-active patients (not prescribed juice), who no longer remain on the study.  The two groups started out at baseline with similar average (mean) PSA doubling times. In patients who drank pomegranate juice, PSA doubling time slowed down and the PSA slope –  graphed on  the patients’  charts — smoothed out.

At the start of the study, the average PSA doubling time was 15.4 months (relatively fast and aggressive). After treatment, this slowed down to an average of 60 months (5 years), about four times as long. The  median PSA slope decreased 60 percent, 0.06 to 0.024. The men continue to experience a significant slowing of their PSA doubling time following treatment.

“This study suggests that pomegranate juice may effectively slow the progression of prostate cancer after unsuccessful treatment,” said Christopher Amling, MD, an AUA spokesman. “This finding and other ongoing research might one day reveal that pomegranate juice is an effective prostate cancer preventative agent as well.”

Parts of this ongoing study suggest that some patients may be more sensitive to the effects of pomegranate juice on PSA doubling time. Phase three of this study is currently underway to further evaluate the benefits of pomegranate juice in a placebo-controlled manner.

The researchers included Stanford University urologist Allan Pantuck, MD. Five of the six researchers who conducted the study disclose ties to POM Wonderful, which makes the pomegranate juice used in the study.

PREVIOUSLY on this topic:
Pomegranate Juice Slows PSA Rise in Men With Recurrent Prostate Cancer 2006.