Arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN-3) enhances the effects of interventional therapies for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma: a three-year randomized clinical trial.

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND AIMS:

This study examined the efficacy of arabinoxylan rice bran (MGN-3) in conjunction with an interventional therapy (IT) for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma patients.

PATIENTS AND METHODS:

A total of sixty-eight patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (stages I and II) participated in the study. Patients were randomized to receive IT (30 patients, control group) or IT+MGN-3 (38 patients), and randomly divided into two groups using a computer-generated randomization list. Patients and investigators were blinded. IT included transarterial oily chemoembolization (TOCE) or a combination of TOCE and percutaneous ethanol injection treatment (PEIT).

RESULTS:

Patients in the IT+MGN-3 group showed: (i) lower recurrence of the disease, 31.6% (12/38), as compared to 46.7% (14/30) for the control; (ii) higher survival after the second year, 35%, as compared to 6.7% for the control; (iii) significantly lower alpha-fetoprotein level, a 38% decrease (p = 0.0001), as compared to baseline value, while the control showed no significant change; and (iv) a significant decrease in tumor volume, in contrast to the control, which showed no significant change. When the results were analyzed according to each IT modality, MGN-3+IT sub-groups displayed a greater response to treatment, in every aspect examined, than the IT sub-groups alone. However, the patients in the MGN-3+TOCE+PEIT sub-group demonstrated greater reduction in AFP levels and longer survival time than the MGN-3+TOCE sub-group.

CONCLUSION:

MGN-3 in conjunction with IT may be useful for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma and warrants further investigation in multiple clinical trials.

• Authors: Mai Hong Bang, Tran Van Riep, Nguyen Tien Thinh, Le Huu Song, Trinh Tuan Dung, Le Van Truong, Le Van Don, Thai Doan Ky, Deyu Pan, Magda Shaheen, Mamdooh Ghoneum
• Journal: Anticancer research (Anticancer Res) Vol. 30 Issue 12 Pg. 5145-51 (Dec 2010) ISSN: 1791-7530 [Electronic] Greece
• PMID: 21187503 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Randomized Controlled Trial)

Chemical References

• Xylans
• alpha-Fetoproteins
• polysaccharide MGN3
• Ethanol
• Ethiodized Oil
• Doxorubicin

Topics

• Administration, Cutaneous
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Carcinoma, Hepatocellular (drug therapy, pathology, surgery, therapy)
• Catheter Ablation
• Chemoembolization, Therapeutic (methods)
• Double-Blind Method
• Doxorubicin (administration & dosage)
• Ethanol (administration & dosage)
• Ethiodized Oil (administration & dosage)
• Female
• Humans
• Liver Neoplasms (drug therapy, pathology, surgery, therapy)
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Neoplasm Recurrence, Local (pathology)
• Neoplasm Staging
• Xylans (administration & dosage)
• alpha-Fetoproteins (metabolism)