RE: Propolis

[Guest guest]

Crozier Data Consultancy wrote:

> Are people aware of this article in Cancer Prevention Research?

> It sounds very promising

I looked up Propolis (it's a substance produced by bees) in

Pubmed.  Everything I looked at was either an in vitro ( " in

glass " , i.e. a study in a petri dish or test tube) or was

conducted in mice or rats.  I didn't see any studies in humans.

However they did find an " anti-proliferative " effect in both

cultured cells in the test tube, and in the rodents.

From what I can tell, there are a lot of substances like this,

probably dozens, and maybe more than that, that have been shown

to have anti-cancer effects.

I suspect that, for a variety of reasons, most of these will

never get to human trials.

One reason is the risk and expense.  Somebody with deep pockets

would have to put up a lot of money for both laboratory research

and clinical trials.  That won't happen unless good scientific

evidence is produced that this substance is likely either to

reduce symptoms or extend life by a significant amount, more than

other possible experimental drugs.

Another reason is that there isn't yet enough basic research.  I

wouldn't expect anyone to consider clinical trials until they

have a good understanding of how and why this works.  It might,

for example, turn out that it works very similarly to some

already approved drugs and there's no need for this.  Or it might

turn out that it works in a way that is likely to cause harm to

the patient in other ways.  Or it might turn out that humans and

rats are different enough that, even if it works in the rat, it's

unlikely to work in a human.  Or it might turn out that it only

works on a minority of patients with a particular from of

prostate cancer.

Maybe it will work out.  Maybe it will be picked out by a drug

company, developed, put into clinical trials, and be passed by

the FDA.  But I'm not going to hold my breath waiting.  When I

look at all of the natural substances that have been proposed for

treating prostate cancer since I was diagnosed in 2003, I can't

think of a single one that has actually made it into trials, much

less passed them - though I may have missed some or

misinterpreted what I've seen.

    Alan

[Guest guest]

dear alan,

of all the natural anti prostate cancer substances you have encountered since 2003,

could you list them

in order of suspected or perceived efficacy?

thanking you,

andy

From: Alan Meyer

Sent: Thursday, May 10, 2012 11:39 AM

To: ProstateCancerSupport

Subject: Re: Propolis

Crozier Data Consultancy <mailto:bob.bishop%40crozierdc.co.uk> wrote:> Are people aware of this article in Cancer Prevention Research?> It sounds very promisingI looked up Propolis (it's a substance produced by bees) inPubmed. Everything I looked at was either an in vitro ("inglass", i.e. a study in a petri dish or test tube) or wasconducted in mice or rats. I didn't see any studies in humans.However they did find an "anti-proliferative" effect in bothcultured cells in the test tube, and in the rodents.From what I can tell, there are a lot of substances like this,probably dozens, and maybe more than that, that have been shownto have anti-cancer effects.I suspect that, for a variety of reasons, most of these willnever get to human trials.One reason is the risk and expense. Somebody with deep pocketswould have to put up a lot of money for both laboratory researchand clinical trials. That won't happen unless good scientificevidence is produced that this substance is likely either toreduce symptoms or extend life by a significant amount, more thanother possible experimental drugs.Another reason is that there isn't yet enough basic research. Iwouldn't expect anyone to consider clinical trials until theyhave a good understanding of how and why this works. It might,for example, turn out that it works very similarly to somealready approved drugs and there's no need for this. Or it mightturn out that it works in a way that is likely to cause harm tothe patient in other ways. Or it might turn out that humans andrats are different enough that, even if it works in the rat, it'sunlikely to work in a human. Or it might turn out that it onlyworks on a minority of patients with a particular from ofprostate cancer.Maybe it will work out. Maybe it will be picked out by a drugcompany, developed, put into clinical trials, and be passed bythe FDA. But I'm not going to hold my breath waiting. When Ilook at all of the natural substances that have been proposed fortreating prostate cancer since I was diagnosed in 2003, I can'tthink of a single one that has actually made it into trials, muchless passed them - though I may have missed some ormisinterpreted what I've seen. Alan