STUDY:

JOURNAL: American Urological Association

AUTHORS:

ABSTRACT: Prostate cancer patients who consumed the soy isoflavone genistein for six months experienced a drop in prostate specific antigen (PSA) levels of up to 61 percent. Prostate specific antigen is a marker for prostate tumors, and levels in prostate cancer patients are monitored to evaluate disease progression.

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COMMENTARY: The study involved 62 men with prostate cancer who received 5 grams of genistein concentrated polysaccharide daily for six months. Forty-six of the subjects had undergone treatment for the disease, which involved radiation, androgen deprivation therapy or surgery, and the remainder were on watchful waiting.

Watchful waiting is often advised for prostate cancer patients who are asymptomatic with small, contained tumors.

The majority of participants on watchful waiting experienced a decline in PSA levels while all but one of the men who had been treated saw a rise in PSA.

The results of the study, which found a 38 percent increase in PSA among the watchful waiting group compared to a 98 percent increase in the treated group, indicate that genistein may help prevent prostate cancer progression in men who have not elected to undergo treatment. The authors conclude, "Patients on watchful waiting may do better due to grade of disease or distribution and concentration of genistein within the prostate.