CASE STUDY MASS GEN HOSPITAL
National Cancer Institute study at Massachusetts General Hospital reports anti-tumor effect of Haelan on Advanced Ovarian Cancer patient
A National Cancer Institute supported study found that the fermented soy product "Haelan 951" had "meaningful clinical activity" in a patient with advanced ovarian cancer. This study from researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that this patient, whose cancer was worsening, had stable disease and no symptoms for nine months while on Haelan 951.
Below is the Chronology of Events:
March 2002 a 56 year old woman reports a one month history of fatigue, abdominal discomfort, constipation, and bloating. Her serum CA-125 level is 2323 IU/ml.
April 5, 2002 – exploratory laparotomy leads to an extensive surgery that includes partial tumor removal (debulking). After surgery, her CA-125 level is 756. The patient begins nine cycles of chemotherapy (gemcitabine/carboplatin, paclitaxel/carboplatin, adriamycin/topotecan).
November 2002 – chemotherapy is completed. Laparoscopy revealed multiple sites of peritoneal cancer.
April 2003 – she enrolls in a phase II trial of chemo drug called ecteinascidin 743.
November 2003 – she is removed from the study because her cancer is spreading. She takes herbal tea (Pau d’Arco) and her CA-125 goes from 171 to 477 in two months.
March 2004 – She begins consuming approximately 4 ounces of a fermented soy beverage (Haelan 951) once a day.
April 6, 2004 – her doctor’s evaluation finds no symptoms, GOG performance score of 0, and serum CA-125 under 311. CT scan shows stable disease.
August 2004 – CT scan shows minimal progression of retroperitoneal lymph nodes.
October 2004 – CT scan shows minimal progression of retroperitoneal lymph nodes.
December 2004 – CT scan shows minimal progression of retroperitoneal lymph nodes.
December 14, 2004 – evidence of rising CA-125, she resumes treatment with carboplatin and continues taking Haelan 951. The patient has "an excellent clinical response."
The study concludes that "Pharmacokinetic studies of both the product and serum drawn from the patient shortly after ingestion support the hypothesis that high concentrations of isoflavones may have provided an anti-tumor effect."
Haelan 951
Haelan 951 is a fermented soy product delivered in 8-oz bottles. The use of soybean derived foods in cancer prevention and treatment is based, in part, on the observation that the incidence of breast and prostate cancer is much lower in Southeast Asia where soy consumption is 20-fold higher then in developed countries. Preclinical studies suggest that active compounds in these dietary products are isoflavones such as genistein and daidzein which both have anti-cancer properties in vitro. In addition, genistein has been shown to inhibit the growth of various cancer cell lines in vivo without toxicity to normal cells. In comparison to common soy-based foods, the total amount of genistein and daidzein in four ounces of Haelan 951 is approximately two times greater than 100 grams of tofu and four times greater than 100 grams of soy milk.
More Information
The abstract of the study Prolonged stabilization of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer in a single patient consuming a fermented soy therapy. Gynecol Oncol. 2006 Jan;100(1):205-9 is available by clicking here.
For more information on Haelan 951 please contact Steve Becker at 678-488-0341