Connect
← Return to Cranberry RCT study
Discussion
Comment receiving replies
Interesting study.
The study summary indicated that the purpose of the study was to test “… an inverse association between cranberry supplementation and serum prostate specific antigen (PSA) in patients with negative biopsy for prostate cancer (PCa) and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis. This double blind placebo controlled study evaluates the effects of cranberry consumption on PSA values and other markers in men with PCa before radical prostatectomy.”
The conclusion was that “…Daily consumption of a powdered cranberry fruit lowered serum PSA in patients with prostate cancer.”
My question:
(1) Did the chronic prostatitis cause the elevated PSA?
(2) Does cranberry fruit simply help resolve prostatitis (which results in lower PSA)?
(3) Is this lower PSA indicative of improved PCa or simply relief from the prostatitis which caused the elevated PSA?
(4) Can this result be translated to men who don’t have prostatitis but only have positive biopsy for prostate cancer?
You’ll have to let us know your results.
Replies to "Interesting study. The study summary indicated that the purpose of the study was to test “…..."
Actually, the purpose of "This double blind placebo controlled study" was ONLY to evaluate "the effects of cranberry consumption on PSA values and other markers in men with PCa before radical prostatectomy.
The authors indicate that their PREVIOUS study's purpose was related to "negative biopsy for prostate cancer (PCa) and chronic nonbacterial prostatitis"...this was not included in the purpose of this RCT.
It is not stated whether the 64 PCa men, who were part of this RCT, had chronic prostatitis. My guess is the most did not, although a certain level of BHP is likely to have been present in these men...but it was clearly not the purpose of this RCT to determine the prostatitis or BHP status of these men. Therefore, your questions (which are interesting questions) cannot be answered by this RCT.
We all know that EVERY natural AND active treatment means of attempting to controlling PCa spread is not guaranteed to work. In fact, as many as 20-40% of men who undergo RALP will experience BCR....so is that a reason not to undergo RALP....maybe....every man must decide and be convinced in his own mind what he is willing to do as a long term, sustainable set of actions toward dealing with his PCa.
Connect
@brianjarvis …and us the lowered PSA indicative if improved tumor markers? Initial studies said it was not, so it could be another Saw Palmetto rerun. Lower PSA, same old PCa..
Phil