Unsolved:PC-SPES

From HandWiki

PC-SPES is an alternative medicine supplement made from multiple herbs and marketed as a treatment for prostate cancer.

There is no good evidence it is of any benefit as a cancer treatment.

Similar supplements

Other similar supplements are named PC-CARE, PC-PLUS and PC-HOPE. Like PC-SPES they have no good evidence of medical benefit.[1]

History

PC-SPES was devised and patented by Sophie Chen in the 1990s.[2] The formulation was patented and the drug manufactured and sitributed by a Californian company, BotanicLab.[3]

Clinical trials of PC-SPES appeared to show it had some effect on human hormones, but it was discovered the PC-SPES had been adulterated with estrogenic chemicals, which were likely the cause of these effects.[3]

See also

References

  1. "PC-SPES, PC-HOPE, PC-CARE and PC-PLUS". Cancer Research UK. 4 July 2022. https://www.cancerresearchuk.org/about-cancer/treatment/complementary-alternative-therapies/individual-therapies/pc-spes-pc-hope. 
  2. "The Rise and Fall of PC-SPES and Its Marketers". 23 March 2018. https://quackwatch.org/cancer/reports/pc-spes/history/. 
  3. 3.0 3.1 PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board (22 November 2004). "PC-SPES (PDQ®): Health Professional Version". PC-SPES (PDQ Cancer Information Summaries). PDQ Integrative, Alternative, and Complementary Therapies Editorial Board. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK65914/.