Romã e câncer de próstata
Romã!
Um estudo, cujo maior problema é ter sido financiado por um fabricante de suco de romã, e cuja maior virtude é ter sido feito numa universidade séria, mostra que tomar regularmente suco de romã aumenta o doubling time do PSA. O doubling time é um conceito fundamental porque revela a taxa de crescimento do câncer e se aplica tanto a antes de tratamento (como cirurgia ou radiação) quanto depois, caso o câncer volte (o que é chamado de biochemical recurrence). Como o câncer de próstata atinge, sobretudo, pessoas idosas, se o câncer crescer devagar isso constitui uma preocupação menor do ponto de vista do risco de vida e dos tratamentos para o câncer avançado, que diminuem muito a qualidade de vida. Um tempo de duplicação de 54 meses é muito favorável, considerando que se considera que o câncer voltou após três crescimentos consecutivos ou após duas medidas acima de 0,2 ou 0,4 (de acordo com o especialista). O doubling time de quatro anos e meio praticamente garante que a pessoa não morrerá de câncer e sim de algo mais, porque os níveis perigosos seriam atingidos a uma idade absurda (ex.: 120 anos). Um relato jornalístico está abaixo:
(NewsTarget) A UCLA study of pomegranate juice suggests it can have a beneficial effect on prostate cancer in humans.
The study, funded by a pomegranate juice manufacturer, tested men’s levels of prostate-specific antigens (PSAs), a chemical produced by prostate cancer cells, and measured how long it took the PSAs to double in each patient. The men who drank a glass of pomegranate juice daily showed a doubling time of 54 months on average, as opposed to the standard average of 15 months, meaning that pomegranate juice slowed the growth of prostate cancer tumors to less than one-third the typical rate.
The participants showed suppressed PSA levels despite the fact that they were only drinking pomegranate juice, and not supplementing the drink with costly prescription drugs or prohibitively expensive conventional cancer treatments.
“We are hoping we may be able to prevent or delay the need for other therapies usually used in this population, such as hormone treatment or chemotherapy, both of which bring with them harmful side effects,” lead researcher Dr Allan Pantuck said.
Pantuck added that many substances in the juice could be prompting the positive response, as it is known to have anti-inflammatory effects and also protects the body from cell damaging particles known as free radicals due to a high level of antioxidants.
“We don’t know if it’s one magic bullet or the combination of everything we know is in this juice,” Pantuck said. “My guess is that it’s probably a combination of elements, rather than a single component.”
Despite these impressive findings, pomegranate juice is unlikely to ever be heavily promoted for prostate cancer, since it cannot be patented. Drug companies, pharmacies and hospitals make money on patented chemicals, not natural fruit juices, so there’s no financial incentive to publicize or prescribe pomegranate juice, even when it’s more effective than cancer drugs.
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