Coffee compounds that can inhibit the growth of prostate cancer

Scientists have, for the first time, identified coffee compounds that may inhibit the growth of prostate cancer in a pilot study of drug-resistant cancer cells in cell culture and in a murine model.

The work, which was presented at the Congress of the European Urological Association in Barcelona, ​​has not yet been tested on humans, but constitutes the first identification of the coffee compounds that could hinder the growth of prostate cancer.

Coffee compounds

Scientists have studied the effects of two compounds found in coffee on prostate cancer cells and in animals. The compounds are called kahweol acetate and cafesto. They were able to inhibit the growth of cells resistant to common anticancer drugs, such as cabazitaxel.

The effect on the growth of cancer cells

Dr. Hiroaki Iwamoto, the first author of the study, Department of Integrated Therapy of Cancer and Urology of the Graduate School of Medical Sciences of Kanazawa University in Japan , said:

"We found that kahweol acetate and cafestol inhibited the growth of cancer cells in mice, but the combination seemed to work synergistically, leading to significantly slower tumor growth than in untreated mice. After 11 days, the untreated tumors had grown about 3½ times the initial volume (342%), whereas the tumors in the mice treated with both compounds had grown about 1.5 times (167%). original size. "

Complementary investigation

Iwamoto concluded, "It is important to keep these results in perspective. This is a pilot study, so this work shows that the use of these compounds is scientifically feasible, but requires further research. this does not mean that the results can still be applied to humans. We also found a reduction in growth in grafted tumor cells rather than in native tumor cells. "

He added, "It shows that these compounds seem to have an effect on drug-resistant cells, prostate cancer cells under the right circumstances, and that they also need to be deepened. We are currently studying the possibility of testing these results in a larger sample and then in humans. "