Shark cartilage failed Lung cancer test

A large study conducted by experts from Anderson Cancer Center showed that the survival rate of patients suffering from non-small cell lung cancer cannot be improved by treating them with shark cartilage extract along with the standard chemotherapy and radiation therapy.

The annual meeting of the America Society of Clinical Oncology on Sunday revealed the detailed findings of the study whose lead author was Charles Lu, an associate professor at the University of Texas.

Various forms of shark cartilage have also been studied in the past, none of them showed positive results. In this study, the cartilage made by Canada’s Aerterna Zentaris was scientifically developed to be approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Under the research, 384 patients at 53 sites in the United States and Canada whose advanced non-small cell lung cancer could not be cured by surgery were studied. Apart from the standard chemotherapy and radiation treatment given to the entire lot, half of them were given a dose of liquid shark cartilage extract called Neovastat twice a day and the other half was given placebos.

After a follow up for 3.7 years, the study revealed that patients receiving the shark cartilage lived for 14.4 months as compared to those taking placebos which lived for 15.6 months thus concluding that the liquid cartilage didn’t improve the survival chances.

The company producing the cartilage ceased its production of Neovastat that was supposed to cure cancer by blocking the formation of blood vessels that feed tumors, in March as the drug also didn’t show any positive results in case of kidney tumors and multiple myeloma.

"These results definitively demonstrate that this shark cartilage extract is not effective against lung cancer when combined with chemo radiotherapy," said Charles Lu. "These negative results are disappointing, but this study shows the benefit of conducting scientifically rigorous studies on potential anti-cancer agents, including those that some may consider to be alternative therapies." he added.

However, another study conducted earlier showed significant reduction in cancer cell proliferation rates in men with prostate cancer by taking Flaxseed supplement individually or in combination with a low-fat diet.

In the study led by Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, Ph.D., of Duke University, 161 men specified for prostate surgery (not at least before 3 weeks) were divided into four nutritional therapy programs; normal diet; flaxseed supplementation plus a low-fat diet; or a low-fat diet only and 30 grams of flaxseed only which they followed almost 7 days a week. The cellular proliferation and apoptosis rates were noted before and after the treatment and the median tumor proliferation rate was also calculated at the end for all the patients.

The study sponsored by the National Institutes of Health, concluded that diet including Flaxseed intake certainly slowed cell growth rates as compared to normal diet schedules. This finding was supported by the Median proliferation rates calculated for all the patients at the end of the research.

Median proliferation rate (MIB-1 volume) was 1.5 in patients randomized to flaxseed and low-fat diet, 1.66 in the flaxseed-only group, 2.56 in the low fat-diet group, and 3.23 in the control group (P=0.0013). The proliferation rate did not differ between patients randomized to flaxseed (provided by Enreca) alone or in combination with a low-fat diet.

All other effects and consequences of the treatments were similar and also occurred at the same rates. Dr. Demark-Wahnefried said, "It is also necessary to disentangle potential synergies between the low-fat diet and flaxseed supplementation and to determine whether the effects are related to lignan or to fat." Finally, she concluded, "it is necessary to determine potential mechanisms underlying these effects."

Non-small cell lung cancer is the most common type of lung cancer, including squamous cell carcinoma, adenocarcinoma, and large cell carcinoma, and accounts for approximately 80% of the 170,000 new cases of lung cancer cases diagnosed in US every year. Smoking is the single most important risk factor for the development of lung cancer.

Flaxseed (also called linseed) comes from the flax plant (Linum usitatissimum), which belongs to the Linaceae plant family. It has not yet been approved by the FDA but it is known to have a number of beneficial effects like preventing and treating diseases.

One of the researches published in 1998 in Cancer Letters suggested the Flaxseed may be used to fight cancer. Under the study, Mice were fed a diet supplemented with 2.5%, 5%, or 10% flaxseed for several weeks before and after being injected with cancerous cells. The more flaxseed the mice received, the fewer tumors they developed.

Several studies have also suggested that flaxseed products may lower cholesterol, control blood pressure and reduce the build up of plaque in arteries, thus proving good for the heart and cardiovascular system.
Its oil has also been recommended to treat skin conditions, inflammation, and arthritis. It is usually taken internally for all the purposes mentioned above. The oil may be used externally to help the healing of scalds and burns.

A recent study showed flaxseed to be beneficial for people suffering from digestive disorders. It is now recommended as an "effective herbal agent" for treating irritable bowel syndrome (IBS).