Pomegranate juice could help slow down the development of prostate cancer, extending the life expectancy of many cancer sufferers, new research suggests.

In a study conducted by scientists at the University of California in Los Angeles, drinking pomegranate juice was found to affect the blood levels of PSA – a protein produced by prostate cancer growth.

Consuming one glass of pomegranate juice a day was found to significantly slow the rate at which PSA levels increased, with the doubling time extended from an average of 15 months to 54 months.

As an indicator of a rapidly growing tumour, short PSA doubling times are known to be linked with high mortality rates among prostate cancer sufferers, leading researchers to suggest that drinking the juice could prolong life expectancy.

A much larger study is now underway in order to confirm the effectiveness of pomegranate juice as a cancer-fighting agent, with lead researcher Dr Allan Pantuck admitting that it was too early to start recommending the juice, although no adverse side effects were reported in the study.

© Adfero Ltd

http://www2.netdoctor.co.uk/news/index.asp?y=2006&m=7&d=4&id=123450

Asthma drug 'has risk of death'

Commonly used asthma drugs could be putting people's lives at risk, themselves causing asthma attacks or even death, experts have warned.

Respiratory expert Dr Vassilis Vassiliuo of Cambridge University has called for the European Medicines Agency to issue a warning over the safety of long acting beta-agonist (LABA) drugs – commonly prescribed in the treatment of the most serious cases of asthma in conjunction with other medication.

Writing in the Journal of the Royal Society, Dr Vassiliuo said that recent use of the drugs on their own was potentially dangerous, with recent clinical trials suggesting an increase in the number of deaths among asthmatics using them.

"LABA on its own is not safe and this monotherapy is neither supported by current evidence nor encouraged by the current British Thoracic Society guidelines," he said.

Dr Vassiliuo's research team had been studying the results of a trial into LABA use by pharmaceuticals company GlaxoSmithKline, which used 26,000 subjects.

The trial was reportedly halted after it was discovered that many more LABA users were dying of respiratory-related illness compared with those taking the placebo.

The finding comes amid efforts to develop better treatments for asthma, which affects around five million people in the UK, causing some 1,400 deaths every year.

© Adfero Ltd
http://www2.netdoctor.co.uk/news/index.asp?y=2006&m=7&d=27&id=123723

İstanbul -07.10.2006
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