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| Scrutinizing the evidence for breast cancer procedures and treatments |
| Food As Medicine - The Scientific Basis |
from the potent carotenoid family alone. In addition, compounds called limonoids - which give citrus fruit their slightly bitter taste - appear to be highly active anti- cancer agents as well.
known as flavonoids, have repeatedly been shown to protect against several cancers.
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Which better prevented tumors, red grapes or green tea?
A May 2006 study found that the polyphenol, resveratrol, found in red grapes,
is more effective than the polyphenol, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), the
major catechin found in green tea in preventing breast tumors in rats. Starting
at birth, rats were given either dietary resveratrol, drank EGCG, or had regular
food. At 50 days' old, the rats were given the carcinogen, DMBA. The rats on
resveratrol had fewer tumors, and there was a delay in time to the
developmentof the tumors.
Analysis of the mammary tissue revealed that resveratrol treatment resulted in
more differentiated lobular structures. Plus, there was a significant reduction
in proliferative cells in mammary ductal structures, making the mammary tissue
less susceptible to damage from carcinogens. (See Whitsett TG et al.,
Resveratrol, but Not EGCG, in the Diet Suppresses DMBA-Induced Mammary
Cancer in Rats, J Carcinog 2006.)
- Anti-Inflammatory Turmeric Fights Breast Cancer
Inflammation is associated with a wide variety of cancers,
including breast cancer.
Women with atypical hyperplasia in benign tumors in their breasts, who went
on to develop breast cancer, were found to have significantly high levels of
COX-2, which is produced in the body when there is inflammation. (See
Mechanisms' Section.) In a key 2005 study, curcumin, which is derived from
turmeric, was found to down-regulate COX-2. In India, where women consume
curcumin, 79 in a million women develop breast cancer, while in the US, where
women do not consume curcumin, 660 women per million develop breast
cancer. (See Turmeric in Supplements' Section.)
- What about Flax? Yes! See this article.
- Anti-Inflammatory Fish Oil Fights Breast Cancer
Omega-3 fats, found in fish oil, inhibit the growth of breast cancer cells in
culture and in grafts in mice. Dietary fish oils lead to incorporation into
membrane lipids. Increased cell death is attributed to inhibition of the COX-2,
enzyme which promotes the cancer process. Plus, fish oil activates
PPAR, a regulator of lipid metabolism capable of modulating proliferative
activity in breast cells. (See Stoll BA, n-3 Fatty Acids and Lipid Peroxidation in
Breast Cancer Inhibition, Br J Nutr 2002.) Women in Japan who consume
iodine-rich seafood have a lower incidence of breast cancer (See Iodine and
Breast Disease.)
- Cabbage Family's I3C's Anti- Breast Cancer Mechanisms
The cabbage family, including cabbage, cauliflower, and broccoli, contain
phytochemicals that act against cancer in many different ways. Cabbage, alone,
has 200+ chemicals. There has been important new research on the
phytochemical, indole-3-carbinol (I3C), which is derived from the cabbage
family, finding that I3C influences cancer genes and a receptor site. Plus,
phytochemicals in the cabbage family are able to induce phase 2 enzyme
activity to protect against chemical carcinogens.
In a 2006 Georgetown University study, indole-3-carbinol (I3C) phytochemicals
in broccoli, cauliflower, and cabbage, were found to boost the production of
DNA proteins BRCA 1 and BRCA 2 - that repair damaged DNA that are decreased
in cancer cells. (See Rosen E et al., Veggies May Protect Against Cancer,
British Journal of Cancer 2006.)
Dr. Eliot Rosen, the lead researcher in the Georgetown study, commented, "It
is now clear that the function of crucial cancer genes can be influenced by
compounds in the things we eat. Our findings suggest a clear molecular
process that will explain the connection between diet and cancer prevention."
Another I3C study, a November 2005 study, exploring the anti-tumorigenic
properties of the indole-3-carbinol food component in cruciferous vegetables,
found that the anti-tumor effects of I3C in human cancer cells may be I3C's
ability to reduce estrogen receptor-alpha expression.(See Wang TT et al.,
Estrogen Receptor Alpha As a Target for Indole -3- Carbinol, J Nutr Biochem
2005.)
In a broccoli sprouts' study in rats, broccoli sprouts were found to be an
exceptionally rich source of inducers of enzymes that protect against chemical
carcinogens. Extracts of three day old broccoli sprouts were highly effective
in reducing the incidence, multiplicity, and rate of development of mammary
tumors in rats. (See Fahey JW., Broccoli Sprouts: An Exceptionally Rich Source
of Inducers of Enzymes that Protect Against Chemical Carcinogens, Proc Natl
Acad Sci USA 1997.)
- Berries Help Fight Breast Cancer
A Harvard study tracking the diet and health of 1,271 people wholove
strawberries found an overall 70% decrease in all cancers. A 2004 cell study
investigated the specific effects of ten different extracts of fruits and berries,
including rosehips, blueberries, black currant, black chokeberries, apple, sea
buckthorn, ligonberries, cherries, and raspberries, on breast cancer cells and
colon cancer cells. The extracts decreased the proliferation of both the breast
cancer cells and the colon cancer cells. The inhibition effect for the highest
concentration of the fruits and berries varied - an average of 52% for the
breast bancer cells. Since this rate of anti-proliferation could not be found by
ascorbate standard alone, there was a suggestion of a synergy between
vitamin C and other substances. For breast cancer cells, the anthocyanins ,
which are the red to blue pigments founds in the fruits and belong to the class
of compounds known as flavonoids, may contribute their powerful antioxidant
power to the inhibition of the cancer cells. (See Olsson M. et al., Inhibition of
Cancer Cell Proliferation in Vitro by Fruit and Berry Extracts and Correlations
with Antioxidant Levels, J Agric Food Chem 2004.)
- Tomatoes' Anti-Breast Cancer Mechanisms
Hot News: While carotenoids have been well known as being free-radical
scavengers, a 2006 study sought to determine the mechanism of action of
tomato carotenoid lycopene and retinoic acid on inhibiting IGFs - insulin-like
growth factors - in the proliferation of cancer cells, including breast cancer
cells. In the cell study, the cyclin D1 levels, that act as a growth factor sensor,
appeared to be the target of lycopene's action. The weakening of the cyclin D
levels by the lycopene and the retinoic acid is an important mechanism for
reducing the IGFs' role in malignant cell proliferation. (See Nahum A et al.,
Lycopene Inhibition of IGF-Induced Cancer Cell Growth Depends on the Level
of Cyclin D1, Eur J Nutr 2006.)
Organic Strawberries Better Inhibited Breast Cancer Cell Proliferation
Organically grown strawberries provided higher antioxidant levels and better
inhibited cell proliferation than conventionally grown strawberries in breast
cancer cells. In a 2006 study, the higher level of ascorbate (vitamin C)
antioxidants found in organic strawberries correlated with a higher inhibition
of breast cancer cell proliferation. The significance of the effect of ascorbate
on cancer cell proliferation might be in a synergistic action with other
compounds. (See Olsson ME et al.,Antioxidant Levels and Inhibition of cancer
Cell Proliferation In Vitro By Extracts From Organically and Conventionally
Cultivated Strawberries, J Agric Food Chem 2006.)
- These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.
- 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.
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Web page updated June 20, 2012
