Introduction
Polyamines are essential for cancer cell growth. Both reducing exogenous polyamines and blocking polyamine synthesis reduce tumor growth and potentiate chemotherapy in tumor models.
Purpose
We assessed the tolerance of a polyamine-free oral nutritional supplement alone and in combination with docetaxel in symptomatic castration-resistant prostate cancer patients.
Methods
A total of 30 patients (mean age: 71 ± 7 years) were enrolled in a prospective trial. For the first 14 days, the patients were given polyamine-free supplement only as the sole diet, the quantity of which was then progressively reduced and supplemented with low polyamine-containing foods. Combined docetaxel chemotherapy began on Day 21, which included six 75-mg/m2 prednisone injections every 3 weeks. Clinical and biological tolerance, quality of life (QOL), performance status (PS), pain, and objective prostate-specific antigen (PSA) response were assessed.
Results
Toxicity was minimal in the polyamine-free supplement-alone phase. In addition, QOL (p = 0.03) and pain (p = 0.03) scores were improved. When the polyamine-free supplement was combined with docetaxel, Grade 1 or 2 nausea, vomiting, or diarrhea was reported in