From foodconsumer.org
Breast cancer: What you need to know (1)
By David Liu, Ph. D.
Feb 23, 2008 - 12:25:14 PM
Editor's note:
It's a pity that
patients with advanced breast cancer will have to use a drug like Avastin.
FDA approval of Genentech's Avastin surprised
many health advocates because this drug does not seem good enough, which
prompts the FDA advisory panel to reject it.
Luckily, those who do not want bet their lives on drugs like Avastin
may seek help from others.
They may learn
to prevent the cancer from developing in the first place.
Some news reports published earlier on
foodconsumer.org were cited below to give readers some ideas why breast cancer
develops and how it could be prevented.
We will publish more on the same the same issue later.
Kelp:
A study published in
the Feb. 2 issue of the Journal of Nutrition showed female rats fed 250 mg kelp
per day increased their menstrual cycle by 37 percent and reduced the estradiol
level by 25%. Both the shortened menstrual circle and lowered estradiol may
indicate lower risk for hormone-sensitive breast cancer. Seaweed
may reduce breast cancer risk
Forsteronia refracta compound:
Researchers at
University
of
Virginia Health System
isolated a compound from a rare South American plant called Forsteronia
refracta that inhibits in vitro breast cells, an action that mimics the one of
Gleevec, a drug for the treatment of chronic myoloid leukemia. The result was published
in the Feb. 1, 2005 issue of the journal Cancer Research. Forsteronia
refracta may be the killer of breast cancer
Oleic acid in olive oil:
Women
who used a Mediterranean diet full of olive oil have a lower risk of breast
cancer, according to a study published in the journal Annals of Oncology. Researchers
attributed the lower risk to oleic acid, which was found to suppress the
activities of a common cancer-causing oncogene called HER-2/neu. Oleic
acid in olive oil protects against breast cancer
Alcohol:
Alcohol increases
risk for a range of cancers including breast cancer, according to a review of
156 previous studies.
The review was published
in the Journal of Thrombosis and Haemostasis. Alcohol
ups cancer risk
Restricted calories: Elaine Hsieh and colleagues at UC Berkeley
published a study in the May 2005 issue of the American Journal of
Physiology-Endocrinology and Metabolism showing that a 30 percent reduction in
calories would result in an 89 percent reduction in the proliferation of breast
cells.
Faster cell proliferation could
make cells more prone to errors leading to cancer cells. Less
calorie intake may reduce cancer risk
Apple:
A study by Dr.
Rui-Hai Liu at Cornell and colleagues suggested eating apples may reduce the
risk of breast cancer in humans.
The
study of rats show the number of tumors was reduced by up to 61 percent when
rats were fed the amount of extract from six apples a day.
The results appear in the Journal of
Agricultural and Food Chemistry. Apples
fight breast cancer
High GI diet:
Stephanie A.
Navarro Silvera and colleagues from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New
York and University of Toronto In Toronto, Canada published a study in the
April 20, 2005 issue of the International Journal of Cancer showing that
consumption of high glycemic index (GI) or high carb diets may increase the
risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women. High
GI Diets Linked to Breast Cancer Risk
Adipose fat: Philipp Scherer and colleagues from Albert Einstein
College of Medicine reported in the May issue of the Journal of Clinical
Investigation that adipose fat increases breast cancer risk. Adipose
fat boosts breast cancer growth
Danggui Longhui Wan:
A study
found that derivatives of indirubin, the active component of a Chinese herbal
medicine Danggui Longhui Wan, can potently inhibit the growth of certain types
of cancers including breast cancer.
The
report appears in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, April 18,
2005. Herbal
Compound Indirubin Derivatives Kill Cancer Cells
Moderate exercise:
Women
with breast cancer can drastically increase their odds of survival if they do
moderate physical exercise after diagnosis, which is equivalent to waking one
more hour per week, according to a study published in the May 25 issue of JAMA.
Moderate
exercise betters odds of beating breast cancer
Plastic compound:
Bisphenol
A (BPA), a food container chemical, affects female fetuses in the womb and
increases the risk of breast cancer in the affected females when they grow into
their adulthood, according to a study that appears in a recent issue of the
journal Endocrinology. Food
packaging chemical bisphenol A linked to breast cancer
Turmeric:
Curcumin in
turmeric, a yellow spice widely used in Indian cuisine, has long been touted
for its health benefits. A study recently found that turmeric may have the
potential of stopping the spread of breast cancer. The results were presented
in the fourth Era of Hope meeting for the Department of Defense (DOD) Breast
Cancer Research Program held on June 8-11, 2005 in
Philadelphia. Turmeric
may stop breast cancer - study
Fish oil:
Omega-3 fatty
acids in fish oil have been associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer. A
new study finds that derivatives from two omega-3 fatty acids, docosahexaenoic
acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) have more potent anticancer
properties than omega-3 fatty acids, according to research in the June 7 issue
of Breast Cancer Research. Derivatives
of omega-3 fatty acids in fish oil fight breast cancer
Cleaning chemical:
A study
in the July issue of the Journal of Applied Toxicology found that a chemical
called 4-nonylphenol, found in cleaning materials, textiles, plastics, paper
and clothing causes breast cancer in mice. Chemical
causes breast cancer in mice
Hormone therapy:
In a monograph
published on July 29, the International Agency for Research on Cancer concluded
that estrogen-progestogen hormone replacement therapy (HRT), used by millions
of women around the world, causes breast and endometrial cancers. Hormone
Replacement Therapy Causes Cancer
French fries:
Young children
who eat French fries frequently may be more likely to develop breast cancer in
their later life, according to a
US study published in a recent
issue of the International Journal of Cancer.
Eating
French Fries May Raise Breast Cancer Risk