[#2008-05] Possible immunotherapeutic potentiation with D-Fraction in prostate cancer cells, Paul Pyo et al.

Possible immunotherapeutic potentiation with D-Fraction in prostate cancer cells

Paul Pyo, Brandon Louie, Srinivas Rajamahanty, Muhammad Choudhury and Sensuke Konno*

Department of Urology, New York Medical College

 

Abstract

Background: Prostate cancer remains the most common malignancy among elderly men and the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States. Although several conventional therapies are currently available, they have a low efficacy and the more effective treatment modalities need to be established. Interferons (IFNs) are one of such options known as immunotherapy and demonstrated their antitumor effects on certain cancer types. Yet such antitumor activity should be improved or potentiated to have the satisfactory outcomes. In fact, combination therapy has been proposed as an alternative approach and is being underway in human and animal studies. Accordingly, we studied whether the combination of IFN-α and D-fraction (PDF), a bioactive mushroom extract, might potentiate anticancer activity of IFN-α in prostate cancer PC-3 cells in vitro.