Antrodia cinnamomea is a potentially effective complementary medicine for adjuvant therapy against breast cancer with bone metastasis: A case report

Abstract

Figures

Figure 1

The evaluation of liver function…

Figure 1

The evaluation of liver function of the breast cancer (BC) patient during the…

Figure 1 The evaluation of liver function of the breast cancer (BC) patient during the adjuvant and Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) therapy period. The liver function of the BC patient during this period was normal, as indicated by the levels of alanine transaminase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and gamma-glutamyltransferase (γ-GT) which were within normal ranges. AC protected the liver against the hepatic toxicity of the adjuvant therapy. AC = Antrodia cinnamomea, ALT = alanine transaminase, AST = aspartate aminotransferase, BC = breast cancer, FUL = Fulvestrant, PAL = Palbociclib, γ-GT = gamma-glutamyltransferase.

Figure 2

Alterations in serum creatinine and…

Figure 2

Alterations in serum creatinine and inorganic phosphate levels during the adjuvant therapy plus…

Figure 2 Alterations in serum creatinine and inorganic phosphate levels during the adjuvant therapy plus Antrodia cinnamomea (AC). The renal function of the breast cancer patient during the period of adjuvant therapy plus AC was normal, as indicated by the levels of serum creatinine and inorganic phosphate, which were within normal ranges. AC =  Antrodia cinnamomea, FUL = fulvestrant, PAL = palbociclib.

Figure 3

Alterations in cancer biomarker levels…

Figure 3

Alterations in cancer biomarker levels during the period of adjuvant therapy plus Antrodia…

Figure 3 Alterations in cancer biomarker levels during the period of adjuvant therapy plus Antrodia cinnamomea (AC). The levels of carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carcinoma antigen 15-3 (CA15-3) fell within normal ranges and showed decline in trend during the period of adjuvant therapy plus AC. Unusually small band elevation of CA15-3 but descending of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) may indicate the potent efficacy of the treatment resulting in continuous and massive tumor cell death. AC = Antrodia cinnamomea, CA15-3 = carcinoma antigen 15-3, CEA = carcinoembryonic antigen, FUL = Fulvestrant, PAL = Palbociclib.

Figure 4

Hematological findings during the period…

Figure 4

Hematological findings during the period of adjuvant therapy plus Antrodia cinnamomea (AC). AC…

Figure 4 Hematological findings during the period of adjuvant therapy plus Antrodia cinnamomea (AC). AC alleviates myelosuppression of adjuvant therapy at Palbociclib (PAL) doses less than 100 mg. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (SR) fell into within normal range when patient received adjuvant therapy plus 10 g AC per day. AC = Antrodia cinnamomea, FUL = fulvestrant, PAL = palbociclib, SR = sedimentation rate.

Figure 5

Magnetic resonance imaging of the…

Figure 5

Magnetic resonance imaging of the breast cancer patient with relapse of bone metastases…

Figure 5 Magnetic resonance imaging of the breast cancer patient with relapse of bone metastases in February, 2018 and on follow-up in May 2019. The tumor on the left side of the vertebral T1 has shrunk from 35.2 to 28.1 mm. Another one on the right side of the T3 vertebrae has shrunk from 12.0 to 9.9 mm. The arrow indicates the tumor.

Figure 6

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) analysis…

Figure 6

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) analysis revealed the influence of different combinations of fulvestrant…

Figure 6 Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) analysis revealed the influence of different combinations of fulvestrant (FUL) (250 mg), palbociclib (PAL) (75 mg), and Antrodia cinnamomea (AC) (10 g per day) on breast cancer. The number of CTCs dropped significantly when the patient received adjuvant therapy plus AC 10 g per day. After stopping AC in July, 2019 there was a significant increase in CTC number. Over a period of 2 months, after restarting AC administration and ongoing FUL therapy, we again observed reduced CTC levels. AC = Antrodia cinnamomea, CTCs = circulating tumor cells, FUL = Fulvestrant, PAL = Palbociclib.

Figure 7

Alterations in serum alkaline phosphatase…

Figure 7

Alterations in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels during the…

Figure 7 Alterations in serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) levels during the period of adjuvant therapy plus Antrodia cinnamomea (AC). Unusual continued elevation of LDH levels but descending ALP levels may indicate the potent efficacy of treatment resulting in massive, continuous tumor cell death. AC = Antrodia cinnamomea, ALP = alkaline phosphatase, FUL = fulvestrant, LDH = lactate dehydrogenase, PAL = palbociclib. All figures (7)