Efficacy of combined treatment between lime powder and curcumin supplementation on reduction of superficial bladder cancer recurrence ะ A preliminary randomized controlled trial.

Abstract

Objective : To study whether combined treatment of lime powder and curcumin capsule is capable of reducing recurrence rate in patients with superficial bladder cancer who have undertaken transurethral resection of bladder tumor (TUR-BT).

Design : Randomized double blind placebo controlled trial

Setting : King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, an 1,500 - bed tertiary care center

Research Methodology : A total of 20 patients with superficial bladder cancer were recruited. The patients were randomly double blind allocated into two treatment arms; the treatment group who received capsules that contained combination of lime powder and curcumin (n =12, mean age 65.58±13.37 years), and the placebo group who received lactose (lactose, n =8, mean age 75.87±5.98 years) groups. The trial was conducted for 6 months. Gross recurrence of the tumor was monitored by cystoscope at months 3, 6, 9 and 12 after TUR-BT.

Results : Patients treated with lime powder and curcumin had significantly Conclusion decrease in the total numbers of recurrence patients as well as recurrent tumors, wherease the placebo group did not show the same result. Kaplan-Meier plot showed that patients obtained the combined regimen (HR = 0.24 ,95%CI: 0.04-1.33) had longer recurrence-free period longer than those who received placebo (HR = 1.00).

Conclusion : Our preliminary data support the suggestion that daily consumption of capsules containing lime powder and curcumin is beneficial in reducing the probability of bladder cancer relapse. It could be used as chemopreventive for preventing the recurrence of superficial bladder cancer. However, a larger clinical trial is required to validate our data prior to implementation.