Fermented wheat germ extract found in Avemar is approved as a dietary food used for medical purposes in cancer patients. Certain cancers, such as melanoma, can be effectively treated with this compound. However, always consult an oncologist or dermatologist when treating potential skin cancers with alternative therapies.
Avemar
Avemar is a trade name for fermented wheat germ extract, a substance that has shown beneficial biological activity for patients affected by different diseases, especially cancer. This compound has been the subject of many published scientific reports since the middle of the 1990s indicating antimetastatic and immunostimulatory effects. Since then, Avemar has been investigated by several clinical trails and has not received negative reviews, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Melanoma
A melanoma is a malignant tumor of melanocytes, cells that produce the dark pigment, melanin, which is responsible for the color of skin. Melanomas start out as a growth of melanocytes, typically limited to the epidermis, that can quickly spread, or metastasize, and invade other parts of the body. Although melanoma occurs less frequently than other skin cancers, it is a much more serious condition and leads to the majority of skin cancer deaths. Treatment for melanoma includes surgical removal of the tumor and often chemo- and immunotherapy. Survival is maximized when the tumor is discovered while it is still diminutive and can be completely removed surgically.
Inhibition of Melanoma by Avemar
A July 1998 article appearing in "Anticancer Research" included a study to investigate tumor growth and metastasis inhibition with preparations of Avemar applied alone or in combination with vitamin C on rat melanomas. The researchers recorded the metastasis-inhibiting effects of the two treatments in the presence and absence of transplanted primary tumors. They found that combined treatments with Avemar and vitamin C had greatly inhibited the metastasis formation in most of the tumor models investigated. However, they noted that treatment with Avemar alone in certain models exerted a more prominent inhibiting effect on metastasis formation. The study concluded that the observed metastasic effect may be mainly due to immunostimulatory properties of fermented wheat germ extract. In addition, "Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmocology" included an article in the August 1999 issue that investigated the efficacy of orally administered fermented wheat germ as found in Avemar. The investigator found that cancerous transformation of splenic cells in mice was inhibited, thereby indicating the immunostimulatory effect of the treatment. Combined treatment with conventional chemotherapy showed a significantly improved antimetastatic effect in mouse models as compared to the effect of any treatments alone.
Human Trial
In an article in the August 2008 issue of "Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmocology," researchers reported on the adjuvant use of Avemar in the treatment of high-risk skin melanoma patients. They conducted a randomized clinical trial on the efficacy of chemotherapy on the survival of melanoma patients compared to that of the same treatment supplemented with a 1-year long administration of wheat germ extract. They found significant differences in survival rates in the supplemented group and concluded that the inclusion of Avemar in the treatment of high-risk melanoma patients was highly recommended.
References
- "Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmocology,"Adjuvant fermented wheat germ extract (Avemar) nutraceutical improves survival of high-risk skin melanoma patients: a randomized, pilot, phase II clinical study with a 7-year follow-up; L Demidov et al.; August 2008.
- "Anticancer Research"; Effect of Avemar and Avemar + vitamin C on tumor growth and metastasis in experimental animals; M Hidvegi et al.; July 1998.
- "Cancer Biotherapy and Radiopharmocology"; MSC, a new benzoquinone-containing natural product with antimetastatic effect; M Hidvegi et al.; August 1999.
