SANTA ROSA, CA--(Marketwire - June 14, 2010) - Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in men, and 1 in 6 will get prostate cancer during his lifetime. With nearly 200,000 new cases reported every year, there is fresh hope found within the pith of citrus fruit peels, according to a study from New York's Columbia University.
The results of this study, as reported by lead researcher Dr. Aaron Katz in the online-first publication of Integrative Cancer Therapies, demonstrate that Modified Citrus Pectin (MCP) can inhibit prostate cancer cell growth and even induce cell death in all prostate cancer cell lines tested, including the aggressive androgen-independent form of the disease. The study also supports the results of previous research on MCP, which showed clinical benefits in patients with recurring prostate cancer and those with advanced solid tumors.
Modified Citrus Pectin is derived from the pith of citrus fruit. The MCP studied at Columbia University has undergone enzymatic modification so that it meets specific molecular chain and weight characteristics.
"Our findings clearly demonstrate that MCP possesses anti-prostate cancer properties in both androgen-dependent (hormonal sensitive) and androgen-independent (hormonal resistant) prostate cancer cells. These results strongly suggest that MCP can be a promising chemo preventive and therapeutic agent against this malignancy," says lead author Dr. Jun Yan. "We speculate that the specific type of MCP used in this research may be absorbed more easily into the human body, meaning that a higher concentration of MCP may reach the prostate gland."
Scientific data suggests that MCP interferes with the binding properties of cancer cell surface proteins called galectins. This prevents the cancer cells from adhering to each other and growing elsewhere in the body (metastasis). MCP essentially starves the cells.
"The anti-metastatic role of MCP is well established," says Dr. Eliaz, whom the authors of the study acknowledge for his development of the specific MCP in the research (www.dreliaz.org). "The fact that it can have a direct effect on the cancer itself makes it important in prevention, in early stage prostate cancer, and into advanced prostate cancer. Its safety makes it an excellent agent to be used in conjunction with other therapies."
About Dr. Isaac Eliaz:
Dr. Isaac Eliaz is a respected author, lecturer, researcher, product formulator, and clinical practitioner. He has been a pioneer in the field of integrative medicine since the early 1980s.
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