WOW! An herb may finally clinical trials

[Tom]

March 20, 2006

Ginseng use associated with improved survival among breast cancer patients

An advance online publication in the American Journal of Epidemiology revealed that among a sample of women with breast cancer who regularly use the popular herb ginseng there was improved survival and quality of life. Ginseng contains compounds known as ginsenosides which have been found to have anti-tumor effects in cell and animal studies, suggesting that the herb could be helpful for cancer patients.

Xiao-Ou Shu, MD, PhD and colleagues at Vanderbilt-Ingram Cancer Center at Vanderbilt University in Nashville evaluated ginseng's effects on 1,455 breast cancer patients who enrolled in the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study between August 1996 and March 1998 in Shanghai, China, and who were followed through December of 2002. All of the patients had been treated with surgery, chemotherapy and/or radiation. Information on ginseng use prior to diagnosis was obtained upon enrollment.

Three to four years following their diagnosis, the participants were asked by the researchers about their current ginseng use. While 27.4 percent of the patients had reported regular use of ginseng before their breast cancer diagnosis, 62.8 percent reported using the herb after being diagnosed. Ginseng use before diagnosis was correlated with improved survival, with those whose used the herb experiencing a 29 percent lower risk of mortality than those who did not use ginseng. Mortality from breast cancer and reccurence of the disease was similarly reduced. Ginseng use following diagnosis was found to have a positive association with reported physical, psychological, social and material well-being.

"There is a lot of skepticism about herbal medicine," Dr Shu stated. "That is why we are taking the observational approach at this time to see whether there is any efficacy. If so, we can go to the next phase... and eventually go to clinical trials."


—D Dye

[DeborahNC]

That is great news, Tom. I will be getting a complete herbal and diet evaluation and recommendation from, my DOM this week and will be interested to see if/how ginseng will be worked into it.