A pilot clinical trial of radioprotective effects of curcumin supplementation in patients with prostate cancer

Abstract

Background: Patients with prostate cancer who accede to radiation therapy usually experience several side effects and these toxicities are sometimes dose limiting. Some previous in vitro and in vivo studies have proposed a radioprotective role for curcumin, the yellow pigment of turmeric. Objectives: The purpose of this investigation was to assess the radioprotective effects of curcumin supplementation in patients with prostate cancer. Methods: Forty prostate cancer patients undergoing external beam radiotherapy (EBRT) were randomly assigned to curcumin group, taking 3 g/d curcumin (6 × 500 mg capsules of BCM95 n=20), or placebo group (n=20). Quality of life was assessed by the Persian version of the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer prostate cancer-specific quality of life questionnaire (QLQ-PR25).Analysis of covariance was used to compare radiotherapy related symptoms between groups following the intervention, adjusted for baseline symptoms. Results: No differences in urinary symptoms, bowel symptoms, treatment related symptoms and sexual activity were observed between the curcumin and placebo groups before the intervention. The change in urinary symptoms across the 20-week period differed significantly between groups (p=0.011) and patients in the curcumin group experienced much milder urinary symptoms compared with the placebo group. No group differences were observed in any other domain of the QLQ-PR25. Conclusions: Curcumin can confer radioprotective effect in patients with prostate cancer who undergo radiation therapy through reducing the severity of radiotherapy related urinary symptoms. However supplementation with 3 g/ day curcumin could not reduce the severity of bowel symptoms or other treatment related symptoms. © 2013 Hejazi J, et al.