Abstract
This prospective study was undertaken to substantiate observations that glutathione (GSH) inhibits or reverses tumor growth in humans with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), a neoplasm with an extremely poor prognosis. Eight patients with biopsy-proven HCC not amenable to surgery were given 5 g of GSH daily from the time of diagnosis. Two patients withdrew shortly after receiving GSH due to intolerable side-effects. Of the six eligible patients, two had mildly advanced tumors and four moderately advanced tumors. At 1-2-month intervals the liver was CT and ultra-sound scanned to assess the growth status of the tumor (progression, stagnation or regression). All the patients, except a male with a fibrolamellar type of HCC, died within 1 year after diagnosis. Two women with moderately advanced tumors survived almost 1 year, tumor growth stopped or regressed and in one of the women an initially abnormal alfa-1-fetoprotein (AFP) returned to normal after GSH treatment. AFP remained normal throughout the treatment period in the other women. These observations indicate that GSH may have a sex-dependent effect on HCC. However, further studies involving more patients are required to pursue this hypothesis.
Originalsprog | Engelsk |
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Tidsskrift | Liver |
Vol/bind | 12 |
Udgave nummer | 5 |
Sider (fra-til) | 341-3 |
Antal sider | 3 |
ISSN | 0106-9543 |
Status | Udgivet - okt. 1992 |