The following is a summary of “Effect of a fermented soy beverage among patients with localized prostate cancer prior to radical prostatectomy,” published in the May 2024 issue of Urology by Lokeshwar et al.

Fermented soy products have garnered attention for their potential inhibitory effects on prostate cancer (PCa). This study evaluated the impact of a fermented soy beverage, Q-Can®, enriched with medium-chain triglycerides, ketones, and soy isoflavones, in men with localized PCa before radical prostatectomy (RP).

A placebo-controlled, double-blind, randomized trial of Q-Can® was conducted, employing stratified randomization based on the Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) score at diagnosis. Patients were assigned to receive Q-Can® or placebo for 2–5 weeks before RP. The primary endpoint was the change in serum PSA from baseline to end-of-study, with secondary endpoints including clinical and pathological measures. The primary intention-to-treat (ITT) analysis compared PSA levels between treatment arms at the end of the study using repeated measures and linear mixed models incorporating baseline CAPRA risk strata.

Nineteen patients were randomized, with 16 eligible for primary outcome analysis. The mean age at enrollment was 61, with 9 (56.2%) classified as low to intermediate risk and 7 (43.8%) as high CAPRA risk. Among patients receiving Q-Can®, there was no significant change in mean PSA levels from baseline to end-of-study (8.98 ng/mL to 8.02 ng/mL, p = 0.36). Additionally, no significant differences were observed between treatment arms in Gleason score, clinical stage, surgical margin status, or CAPRA score (p > 0.05). Moreover, there were no significant differences in lipid profiles, testosterone levels, or FACT-P scores between treatment arms (p > 0.05).

Short-term exposure to Q-Can® did not significantly change PSA levels, PCa characteristics, or serum testosterone among patients with localized PCa. However, the study was terminated early due to recruitment challenges, limiting statistical power.

Source: bmcurol.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12894-024-01483-y