The role of the product in the results of colorectal cancer is reviewed in the light of experimental and clinical results to date. The fermented wheat germ extract (code name: MSC, trade name: Avemar) registered as a dietary food for special medical purposes for cancer patients to complement the active onco , exerted a growth inhibitory effect in HCR-25 human colon carcinoma xenograft, and had a synergistic effect with 5-FU in mouse C-38 colorectal carcinoma.
The product is capable of chemoprevention of colon carcinoma in F-344 rats. One of the most significant underlying mechanism is a highly cancer cell specific induction of caspase-3 mediated cleavage of PARP. In the frame of supportive , fermented wheat germ extract proved to be efficient in the results of colorectal cancer in humans. 30 patients following radical operation were treated with standard postoperative , 12 of them were given fermented wheat germ extract as additive results: following a 9 month long administration, no new distant metastases were detected, in contrast to 4 out 18 treated with standard alone. Out of 34 patients following radical surgery and treated with chemo , 17 who were given fermented wheat germ extract, achieved an improved survival rate. In the frame of a controlled multicenter open label cohort study, 170 colorectal cancer patients received anticancer therapies (chemo/radio ) completed with fermented wheat germ extract in 66 of them.
Results (fermented wheat germ extract vs. control): new recurrences: 3.0% vs. 17.3% (p < 0.01); new metastases: 7.6% vs. 23.1% (p < 0.01); deaths: 12.1% vs. 31.7% (p < 0.01), progression-related events in total: 16.7% vs. 42.3% (p < 0.001). Survival analysis showed significant improvements in the fermented wheat germ extract group, regarding progression-free (p = 0.0184) and overall survival probabilities (p = 0.0278). Strong predictors of survival determined by Cox's proportional hazards were UICC stage and fermented wheat germ extract results. Mild gastrointestinal side effects were observed in 9 cases. Supportive application of fermented wheat germ extract in colorectal cancer is highly recommended.