Skip to main content

Thank you for visiting nature.com. You are using a browser version with limited support for CSS. To obtain the best experience, we recommend you use a more up to date browser (or turn off compatibility mode in Internet Explorer). In the meantime, to ensure continued support, we are displaying the site without styles and JavaScript.

Modified citrus pectin (MCP) increases the prostate-specific antigen doubling time in men with prostate cancer: a phase II pilot study

Prostate Cancer and Prostatic Diseases volume 6, pages 301–304 (2003)Cite this article

Abstract

This trial investigated the tolerability and effect of modified citrus pectin (Pecta-Sol®) in 13 men with prostate cancer and biochemical prostate-specific antigen (PSA) failure after localized treatment, that is, radical prostatectomy, radiation, or cryosurgery. A total of 13 men were evaluated for tolerability and 10 for efficacy. Changes in the prostate-specific antigen doubling time (PSADT) of the 10 men were the primary end point in the study. We found that the PSADT increased (P-value<0.05) in seven (70%) of 10 men after taking MCP for 12 months compared to before taking MCP. This study suggests that MCP may lengthen the PSADT in men with recurrent prostate cancer.

This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution

Relevant articles

Open Access articles citing this article.

Access options

Rent or buy this article

Prices vary by article type

from$1.95

to$39.95

Learn more

Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout

Figure 1

References

  1. Eliaz I . The potential role of modified citrus pectin in the prevention of cancer metastasis. Clin Pract Altern Med 2002; 2: 177–179.

    Google Scholar 

  2. Raz A, Lotan R . Endogenous galactoside-binding lectins: a new class of functional tumor cell surface molecules related to metastasis. Cancer Metast Rev 1987; 6: 433–452.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  3. Bresalier RS et al. Expression of the endogenous galactose-binding protein galectin-3 correlates with the malignant potential of tumors in the central nervous system. Cancer 1997; 80: 776–787.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  4. Raz A et al. Monoclonal antibodies to endogenous galactose-specific tumor cell lectins. EMBO J 1984; 3: 2979–2983.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  5. Kidd P . A new approach to metastatic cancer prevention: modified citrus pectin (MCP), a unique pectin that blocks cell surface lectins. Altern Med Rev 1996; 1: 4–10.

    Google Scholar 

  6. Naik H, Kalemkerian G . Inhibition of in vitro tumor cell-endothelial adhesion by modified citrus pectin: a pH modified natural complex carbohydrate [abstr]. Proceedings of the Annual Meeting of the American Association of Cancer Research A377, 1995.

  7. Pienta KJ et al. Inhibition of spontaneous metastasis in a rat prostate cancer model by oral administration of modified citrus pectin. J Natl Cancer Inst 1995; 87: 348–353.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  8. Nangia-Makker P, Conklin J, Hogan V, Raz A . Inhibition of human cancer cell growth and metastasis in nude mice by oral intake of modified citrus pectin. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002; 94: 1854–1862.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  9. Schmid HP, McNeal JE, Stamey TC . Observations on the doubling time of prostate cancer. The use of serial prostate-specific antigen in patients with untreated disease as a measure of increasing cancer volume. Cancer 1993; 71: 2031.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  10. Stamey TA et al. Prostate-specific antigen as a serum marker for adenocarcinoma of the prostate. N Engl J Med 1987; 317: 909–916.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  11. Stamey TA, Kabalin JN . Prostate specific antigen in the diagnosis and treatment of adenocarcinoma of the prostate. I. Untreated patients. J Urol 1989; 141: 1070–1075.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  12. Guess B et al. Using splines to detect changes in PSA doubling times. Prostate 2003; 54: 88–94.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  13. Pound CR et al. Natural history of progression after PSA elevation following radical prostatectomy. JAMA 1999; 281: 1591–1597.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  14. Roberts SG et al. PSA doubling time as a predictor of clinical progression after biochemical failure following radical prostatectomy for prostate cancer. Mayo Clin Proc 2001; 76: 576–581.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  15. Sartor CI et al. Rate of PSA rise predicts metastatic versus local recurrence after definitive radiotherapy. Int J Radiat Oncol Biol Phys 1997; 38: 941–947.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  16. Lee RW, Hanks GE, Hanlan A . Increasing prostate-specific antigen profile following definitive radiation therapy for localized prostate cancer: clinical observations. J Clin Oncol 1997; 15: 230–238.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  17. Pollack A, Zagars GK, Kavadi VS . Prostate specific antigen doubling time and disease relapse after radiotherapy for prostate cancer. Cancer 1994; 74: 670–678.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  18. McLaren DB, McKenzie M, Duncan G, Pickles T . Watchful waiting or watchful progression? Prostate specific antigen doubling times and clinical behavior in patients with early-untreated prostate carcinoma. Cancer 1998; 82: 342–348.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  19. Gross C, Stamey TS, Hancock S, Feldman D . Treatment of early recurrent prostate cancer with 1,25 dihydroxyvitamin D3 (calcitriol). J Urol 1998; 159: 2035–2039.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  20. Beer TM, Lemmon D, Lowe BA, Henner DW . High-dose weekly oral calcitriol in patients with a rising psa after prostatectomy or radiation for prostate carcinoma. Cancer. 2003; 97: 1217–1224.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  21. Beer TM et al. Weekly high-dose calcitriol and docetaxel in metastatic androgen-independent prostate cancer. J Clin Oncol 2003; 21: 123–128.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Prostate Oncology Specialist, Marina del Rey, California, USA

    B W Guess, M C Scholz, R Y Lam & H J Johnson

  2. Medical Oncologist, Ashland, Oregon, USA

    S B Strum

  3. Department of Statistics, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California, USA

    R I Jennrich

Authors
  1. B W Guess
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M C Scholz
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. S B Strum
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. R Y Lam
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  5. H J Johnson
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  6. R I Jennrich
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to B W Guess.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and Permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Guess, B., Scholz, M., Strum, S. et al. Modified citrus pectin (MCP) increases the prostate-specific antigen doubling time in men with prostate cancer: a phase II pilot study. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 6, 301–304 (2003). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500679

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Revised:

  • Accepted:

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.pcan.4500679

Keywords

This article is cited by

Search

Advanced search

Quick links