From trial to real life: ten-year impact of a nutraceutical strategy on duodenal polyp burden in familial adenomatous polyposis
- Author: mycolabadmin
- 1/2/2026
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Summary
This study followed 56 patients with familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP), a genetic condition causing multiple polyps in the digestive tract, for 10 years. Patients who continuously took Adipol, a supplement made from milk thistle, flaxseed, and oat fiber, had significantly fewer and smaller polyps in the duodenum (part of the small intestine) compared to those who didn’t take it. The supplement appeared safe and well-tolerated over the entire 10-year period, making it a promising preventive strategy for FAP patients.
Background
Familial adenomatous polyposis (FAP) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by hundreds to thousands of colorectal adenomas with near 100% lifetime risk of colorectal cancer. While prophylactic colectomy reduces colorectal cancer mortality, up to 90% of FAP patients develop duodenal adenomas with a 4-10% lifetime risk of duodenal cancer, which has emerged as a leading cause of cancer-related death in colectomized FAP patients.
Objective
To assess the long-term efficacy of a nutraceutical blend containing phytoestrogens and insoluble fibers (Adipol) in reducing duodenal polyp burden in FAP patients over a 10-year real-world follow-up period.
Results
At 120 months, continuous Adipol use (Group 3) resulted in significantly reduced mean polyp count (8.2 ± 3.4 vs 25.1 ± 5.8 in Group 0; p<0.001) and maximum polyp size (3.9 ± 1.1 mm vs 7.8 ± 1.9 mm; p<0.01). Groups 1-2 showed intermediate reductions proportional to exposure. The Spigelman score remained stable or improved in 79% of Group 3 patients versus 57% progression in Group 0, with no patients in Adipol-treated groups progressing to stage IV.
Conclusion
Continuous Adipol supplementation is associated with sustained reduction in duodenal polyp burden in FAP patients with excellent safety profile over 10 years. Although the non-randomized, single-center design limits generalizability, these findings support nutritional chemoprevention as a valuable adjunct strategy in FAP management.
- Published in:Frontiers in Oncology,
- Study Type:Prospective Cohort Study,
- Source: PMID: 41551144, DOI: 10.3389/fonc.2025.1676394