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Supplement Strategy: Curcumin (Turmeric) "These results have staggering implications for human use of curcumin as an adjunctive breast cancer treatment." -- Julius Goepp, MD Recent studies have revealed that cucumin, extracted from turmeric root, is a key anti-inflammatory spice to fight cancer. Curcumin Reduces Number of Lung Metastases + Makes Taxol Less Toxic UPDATE: In 2005, Curcumin made world-wide news when researcher, Dr. Bharat Aggarwal and his team at M.D. Anderson, published new findings on the spice. When mice with breast cancer were given curcumin alone, taxol (a chemotherapeutic agent) alone, curcumin and taxol, or nothing at all, the two curcumin groups had the fewest number of metastases to the lungs. Taxol, like many chemotherapeutic agents, provokes an inflammatory response, which leads to drug resistance. But curcumin inhibited taxol's inflammatory response by blocking nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-kappa B) which regulates inflammation, cell proliferation, and apoptosis (cell death). (1) Acting through The Genes
activating NF-kappa B. By inhibiting TNF-induced NF-kappa B activation, curcumin down-regulated (reduced the expression of) genes that regulate every stage of cancer development. These stages include: Cell proliferation, apoptosis, and malignancy. (3) Acting on Cell Proliferation
for uncontrolled growth and proliferation, inflammation and inhibition of PGE- 2. (4) Restoring Apoptosis (Cell Death)
Metastasis:
matrix proteins, are inhibited.
curcumin with taxol had fewer metastases to the lungs than mice fed no curcumin or on taxol alone.(6) "Cucumin has been found to suppress, retard, and even reverse cancer development at each stage of the disease." --from Duvoix, A et al., Chemopreventive and Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin, Cancer Lett 2005 According to the Life Extension Foundation, curcumin's action goes further, " inhibiting the epidermal growth factor receptor and is up to 90% effective in a dose- dependent manner. It is important to note that while curcumin has been shown to be up to 90% effective in inhibiting the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor on cancer cell membranes, this does not mean it will be effective in 90% of cancer patients or reduce tumor volume by 90%. However, because two-thirds of all cancers overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor and such overexpression frequently fuels the metastatic spread of the cancer throughout the body, suppression of this receptor is desirable."
References 1. Aggarwal BB et al., Curcumin Suppresses the Paclitaxol-Induced Nuclear Factor- kB Pathway in Breast Cancer Cells and Inhibits Lung Metastasis of Human Breast Cancer in Nude Mice, Clinical Cancer Research 2005. 2. Ahn KS et al., Transcription Factor NF-kappa B: A Sensor for Smoke and Stress Signals, Ann NY Acad Sci 2005. 3. Aggarwal S et al., Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) Down-Regulates Expression of Cell Proliferation and Antiapoptotic and Metastatic Gene Products Through Suppression of I Kappa Balpha and AKT Activation, Mol Pharmacol 2006 4. Lev-Ari S et al., Down-Regulation of Prostaglandin E 2 by Curcumin is Correlated with Inhibition of Cell Growth and Decline in Apoptosis in Human Colon Carcinoma Cell Line, J soc Integ Oncol 2006. 5. Aggarwal BB et al., Cucumin Suppress the Paclitaxol-Induced Nuclear Factor-kB Pathwayin Breast Cancer Cells and Inhibits Lung Metastasis of Human Breast Cancer in Nude Mice, Clinical Cancer Research 2005 6. Aggarwal BB et al., IBID. These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration. The supplements discussed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease. This website is intended as information only. The editors of this site are not medically-trained. Please consult your licensed health care practitioner before implementing any health strategy. The information provided on this site is designed to support, not replace, the relationship that exists between a patient/site visitor and his/her existing physician. This site accepts no advertising. The contents of this site are copyrighted 2006 by Breast Cancer Choices, Inc. Contact us for reprint permission. Web page updated January 7, 2008. |
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