Abstract

BACKGROUND: Women with ovarian cancer who experience disease progression during or within 6 months of first-line treatment with platinum-based anticancer drugs are considered to have platinum-resistant tumors. These patients have an unfavorable prognosis, and they frequently seek complementary and alternative therapies (CAM). Historically, this represents an understudied and underreported component of ovarian cancer treatment.

CASE: This report describes the case of a woman with rapidly progressive, platinum-resistant ovarian cancer. Upon initiating self-directed treatment with Haelan951, a commercially available fermented soy beverage, she entered into a phase of prolonged disease stabilization including improvement in the serum tumor marker CA-125.

CONCLUSION: Fermented soy products are known to contain high concentrations of the isoflavone, genistein, and other compounds that exhibit anticancer activity in preclinical models. This case report supports the prospective evaluation of alternative therapies such as these in patients with platinum-refractory ovarian cancer.