Turmeric and black pepper prevent breast cancer

(NaturalNews) Seasoning food with turmeric and black pepper can do more than just spice up a meal. Researchers at the University of Michigan (U-M) Comprehensive Cancer Center have found that the compounds curcumin, which is derived from turmeric, and piperine, derived from black pepper, could play an important role in preventing and even treating breast cancer.

Previous research has already provided evidence that curcumin and piperine may be potential cancer treatments. However, the new U-M study, just published online in the journal Breast Cancer Research and Treatment, is the first to suggest exactly how these natural spice compounds could prevent cancer. The research shows curcumin and piperine target stem cells (unspecialized cells that can give rise to any type of cell in an organ). This is of major significance because cancer stem cells comprise the small number of cells inside a tumor that fuel the growth of malignancies.

Current chemotherapy agents are useless against these cells -- that's why cancer can recur and spread despite rounds of heavy duty, toxic chemo. But if cancer stem cells could be eliminated and/or their growth shut down, cancer should be controlled.

"If we can limit the number of stem cells, we can limit the number of cells with potential to form tumors," lead author Madhuri Kakarala, M.D., Ph.D., a clinical lecturer in internal medicine at the U-M Medical School and a research investigator at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System, said in a statement to the media. And the new study shows curcumin and piperine work along these lines. The spice derivatives are able to do what chemo can't -- they limit the self-renewal of stem cells.

NEW ! Blood test for breast cancer early detection

(NaturalNews) Ah ... ladies ... can you imagine the freedom of life without mammograms? That yearly dread - the compression, the anxiety, the direct radiation to delicate tissue - may all be a thing of the past.

A new blood test is in development that may prove to be even more effective than mammograms. Mammograms give false negatives 10% of the time, false positives 20% of the time. In addition to false positives, there is increasing concern regarding possible harm from mammograms.

In a study involving 5,685 women, published in the July 15, 2000 issue of the International Journal of Cancer, the association between diagnostic radiation exposure and breast cancer was examined. The results of this study conclude that some forms of low-dose radiation may increase the risk of breast cancer. The study also found that women who underwent diagnostic chest x-rays for pneumonia or tuberculosis had more than twice the normal risk of breast cancer.

An article published in the January 28, 2009 Journal of the American Cancer Institute goes so far as to say that early mammograms may actually harm women who carry the BRCA gene.

"The risk of radiation-induced breast cancer may outweigh the benefits of mammography in women under the age of 30 who carry a mutation in BRCA1 or BRCA2, according to a mathematical modeling study."

Dr. Russell L. Blaylock estimates that annual mammograms increase the risk of breast cancer by two percent a year. So over 10 years the risk will have increased 20 percent.

An authority on the negative health effects from ionizing radiation, Dr. John W. Gofman estimates that 75% of breast cancer cases can be prevented my limiting or avoiding exposure to such radiation procedures such as mammography and x-rays.

The debate over whether mammograms save lives rages on. If you or someone you know had a lump discovered and subsequently removed after discovery by a mammogram, no doubt, you know there is value in screening. That is the beauty of this new blood test. Women can continue to be screened, without the risk of added radiation.

This new blood test, called the BC-SeraPro, measures the concentration of certain proteins in the blood that indicate breast cancer. These proteins, "blood markers," can indicate whether or not a system is functioning properly. This test may offer the opportunity to treat breast cancer at its earliest stage. Researchers are hoping that this test will catch breast cancer even before it shows up on a mammogram.

"This is a test for measuring the concentration of proteins in the blood and how they differ from the normal state will tell is about the presence of disease," says Ira Goldknopf, Ph.D., director of proteomics at Power3 Medical in the Woodlands, Texas. Dr. Goldknopf further states: "The method analyzes specific proteins and these proteins show what is going on with the patient in terms of the disease and how the disease is playing out on the patient."

The BC-SeraPro has a 90% success rate. The test should be available in breast cancer clinics early next year.

Provista Life Sciences is already offering a blood screening called the BT Test, or Biomarker Translation Test. The BT test screens for multiple cancer-related proteins. Will Gartner, President and CEO of Provista Life Sciences states: "With an accuracy rate above 80 percent, the BT Test gives women and their doctors another crucial measure for early breast cancer detection. We are thrilled to be able to offer more women the opportunity to catch the disease in its treatable phase, when life-saving treatment is most effective."

Currently, the BT Test is prescribed by doctors to be used in conjunction with annual mammograms. The BT test is strongly recommended for women at heightened risk for breast cancer, along with women with dense breast tissue.

In a previous study reported in the August 4, 2006 issue of the ACS` Journal of Proteome Research, 250 breast cancer patients and 95 patients without breast cancer were administered a blood test measuring the presence of breast cancer. The results of test had demonstrated that they could recognize the presence of breast cancer in the blood about 95 percent of the time. The researchers state:

"Better blood-based testing may aid in early diagnosis, may reduce the need for open biopsy and could provide new modalities for monitoring of therapy."

Welcome news!

American Chemical Society (2006, August 29). Toward An Ultra-sensitive Blood Test For Breast Cancer.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/videos/...

Journal of the National Cancer Institute (2009, January 28). Early Mammograms May Have Net Harm in Some BRCA Mutation Carriers.

The following is an excellent, comprehensive article surrounding the subject of the potential dangers of regular mammograms:

http://www.naturalnews.com/010886.html

Mushrooms prevent breast cancer

Study Finds Breast Cancer Fighting Properties within Mushrooms

Tuesday, September 22, 2009 by: Cindie Leonard
http://www.naturalnews.com/027075_cancer_b..._mushrooms.html

A recent study published in the International Journal of Cancer found evidence supporting that mushrooms have breast cancer-fighting properties.

This study was conducted at the University of Western Australia in Perth. The study included 2,018 Chinese women. Half of the women were diagnosed with breast cancer. After adjusting for lifestyle patterns such as education, smoking, overeating, and exercise levels, the researchers discovered that the women who ate at least 10 grams of button mushrooms per day were 64 percent less likely to develop breast cancer. Dried mushrooms also significantly reduced the risk, but not as much as fresh mushrooms.

A substance found in mushrooms called linoleic acid may be the key to the reduced risk of breast cancer. Linoleic acid inhibits aromatase activity. Aromatase is an enzyme that helps the body produce estrogen. High estrogen levels are a well-known risk for breast cancer. As many breast cancers depend on estrogen to grow, the aromatase-inhibiting actions of mushrooms may be responsible for the reduced risk.

Aromatase inhibitors are used as treatment to prevent certain types of breast cancers from recurring. Examples of these drugs are Arimidex, Femara, and Aromasin.

This study also revealed that women who combined a mushroom diet with regular consumption of green tea saw even greater benefits: a reduced risk of almost 90 percent! This well-known antioxidant and anti-inflammatory helps prevent breast cancer by decreasing the amount of estrogen a woman's body produces. (Like cholesterol, estrogen has a good kind and a bad kind -- and an excess of the bad can promote breast cancer.)

In addition to the theory of the benefits of linoleic acid, mushrooms have been found to strengthen the body's immune system and also possibly block tumor development. In several lab studies, mushroom extract has been shown to actually stop the growth of breast cancer cells. There is an ongoing study examining whether or not taking a mushroom extract twice a month can prevent the recurrence of breast cancer. Earlier studies have suggested that the traditional medicinal mushroom, Phellinus linteus, hampers the growth of skin, lung, and prostate cancer cells.

In another study conducted by Dr. Shiuan Chen of the Beckman Research Institute of the City of Hope in Duarte, California, it was found that in laboratory and animal experiments, mushroom extracts reduced the proliferation of breast cancer cells. This study also surmised that it is the linoleic acid that may be responsible for the anti-cancer effects.

Dr. Chen and her team state: "Results from this and other laboratories support the hypothesis that white button mushrooms may be an important dietary constituent for reducing the incidence of hormone-dependent breast cancer in women. Prevention strategies involving mushrooms are readily available, affordable, and acceptable to the general public."

Schian Chen, PhD, Beckman Research Institute: http://www.cbcrp.org/research/featu...

Cunningham-Rundles S, Lin H, Cassileth B. Are Botanical Glucans Effective in Enhancing Tumoricidal Cell Activity? American Society for Nutrition. J. Nutr. 2005. 135: 2919S.

Kodama N, Komuta K, Nanba H. Can maitake MD-fraction aid cancer patients? Altern Med Rev. 2002; 7:451.

"Waking the Warrior Goddess: Dr. Christine Horner's Program to Protect Against & Fight Breast Cancer"

Mike Adams: http://www.naturalnews.com/008066.html

Vitamin A derivatives- anti-carcinogenic in breast cancer

(NaturalNews) What if a substance was found that normalizes out-of-control cell growth? The result could be a way to treat and prevent cancer. And a new study offers hope that discovery may have already been made. Scientists from the University of Chicago have just published groundbreaking research in the journal Cell which concludes a powerful compound exists that can restore a healthy balance to cell processes. It's not a new chemotherapy agent or drug but one derived from nature -- retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A.

According to the American Cancer Society, estrogen fuels the growth of two out of three breast cancers. The female hormone can spur on cancer by altering the expression of certain genes, resulting in breast cells that become malignant and proliferate. The University of Chicago study found that retinoic acid can also alter these same estrogen-sensitive genes. But instead of causing cells to grow without restraint, a hallmark of cancer, retinoic acid restored normal balance to the cells and inhibited their growth.

"This work reveals important insights on the interplay between vitamin A and estrogen action," said Myles Brown, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in a statement to the media. "These insights will hopefully lead to new approaches for the prevention and treatment of the most common form of breast cancer."

Retinoic acid has already demonstrated cancer fighting effects in previous studies and it is currently used to treat a rare form of leukemia. In addition, earlier research has associated retinoic acid with the halting of breast cancer cell proliferation.

For the new study, Kevin White, PhD, professor of human genetics and director of the Institute for Genomics and System Biology at the University of Chicago, and colleagues focused on documenting cell receptors for the vitamin A derivative. They used a process dubbed ChIP-chip analysis that combines chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), which locates where the retinoic acid receptors are bound to the genome, with micro-array gene-chip analysis, which measures the expression levels of specific genes.

This merging of techniques allowed the scientists to map out the complete genetic effects of retinoic acid and its receptors in a cell line provided by patients who had estrogen-fueled breast cancers. The results showed that 39 percent of the genomic regions bound by the estrogen receptor known as alpha overlapped with the estrogen receptors bound by retinoic acid.

What's more, they discovered that estrogen and retinoic acids receptors often competed to activate or repress many of the same genes. For example, estrogen increased expression of the same 139 genes that retinoic repressed and retinoic acid activated 185 genes that estrogen repressed. For approximately140 genes, estrogen and retinoic acid had the same effect.

So what does all this mean? As the scientists explained in their press statement, they now have evidence that estrogen and retinoic acid carry on a kind of "cross talk". So, although they can have opposite effects, certain estrogen and retinoic acid receptors on cells activate each other and normalize each other. That provides what the researchers call "an additional level of control for achieving a balanced regulation of expression."

The study also uncovered another way retinoic acid could help fight breast cancer. Some of the genes that are expressed in malignant breast tumors don't have estrogen receptors so anti-estrogen drugs can't be used as therapies. That makes so-called double or triple negative breast cancers extremely difficult to treat and, subsequently, they carry poor prognoses. However, in the new study, the researchers found these forms of cancerous cells did respond positively to the vitamin A derivative.

The new study may have produced a new way to help predict long-term survival for breast cancer patients, too. When the researchers compared the effects of retinoic acid on tissues from 295 breast cancer patients with the results from the scientists' initial study using a typical breast cancer cell line, they discovered that the more strongly a tumor responded to retinoic acid, the greater the chances of long-term survival and a lack of relapse.

"Understanding all the components of this process could be used against breast cancer in three ways," said Dr. White, in the media statement. "It suggests new ways to think about preventing the disease in those at high risk. It offers molecular tools that could provide a more precise diagnosis and predict outcomes. It could also be used to enhance current therapies, making existing drugs, such as tamoxifen, that selectively block estrogen's effects even more powerful, or even to develop new anti-cancer drugs."

As reported earlier in Natural News (http://www.naturalnews.com/025495_c...), researchers are also studying vitamin D to see what role it may play in fighting breast cancer. It appears to help protect against breast cancer by keeping normal cell growth in check.

For more information:
http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/c...
http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/...

Eat carrots and prevent breast cancer

(NaturalNews) There is mounting scientific evidence that women who eat a diet rich in carotenoids have substantially lower risk of breast cancer. The most recent studies show that the nutrients that give fruits and vegetables their yellow, orange and red colors can offer breast cancer protection to women at any stage of life, even those who have already survived breast cancer.

In separate studies, scientists from Harvard and New York`s Albert Einstein College of Medicine have confirmed the value of carotenoid-rich diets even for women with deadly invasive breast cancer.

Among the 5,450 postmenopausal women Albert Einstein researchers studied over an 8-year period, those who consumed the most carotenoid-laden vegetables cut their risk of invasive breast cancer nearly in half.

The Harvard study went a step further by concluding that carotenoid consumption might even protect premenopausal women who had been smokers.

A study published earlier this year concludes that a carotenoid-rich diet can prevent breast cancer from returning.

Carotenoids are brightly colored fat-soluble pigments in fruits and vegetables that are part of the Vitamin A molecule. As strong antioxidants, carotenoids protect cells and tissues from disease-causing oxygen free radicals. They are also known to strengthen immune function and cell-to-cell communication.

Beta-carotene, perhaps the best known in this family of more than 600 carotenoids, has been credited with life-extending provitamin A activity that helps boost the immune system, among other functions.

Get your carotenoids from any bright red, yellow or orange fruits or vegetable, including carrots, red peppers, tomatoes squash, pumpkin, peaches, apricots and sweet potatoes. They`re also found in spinach, kale and other dark green vegetables.

Cooking the foods can, in some cases, actually increase the bioavailability of carotenoids. Lycopene, a carotenoid that has been shown to be protective in a number of hormonally related cancers, actually becomes more usable to the human body after it is cooked. You`ll find lots of lycopene in tomatoes, watermelon and papayas.

Researchers haven`t yet identified the specific cancer-protective property in carotenoid-rich foods, but their role in improving cell-to-cell communication is likely to have a role in the equation. Carotenoids are believed to have a role in female reproduction, possibility-providing researchers with a clue to their breast cancer protective nature.

Eating foods containing animal-based vitamin A molecules called retinols have also been shown to protect against breast cancer. Retinols are found in abundance in liver, butter and eggs.

Sources:

Mignone, LI, Giovannucci E, Dietary carotenoids and the risk of invasive breast cancer. (International Journal of Cancer, 2009 Jun 15; 124(12):2929-37.

Rock CL, Natarajan L, Longitudinal biological exposure to carotenoids is associated with breast cancer-free free survival in the Women's Healthy Eating and Living Study. Cancer Epidemiology , Biomarkers and Prevention. 2009 Feb; 18(2):486-94.

Bonanni B, Lazzeroni M, Retinoids and breast cancer prevention. Recent results in Cancer Research 2009;181:77-82.

Formelli F, Meneghini E, Plasma retinol and prognosis of postmenopausal breast cancer patients. Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention. 2009 Jan;18(1): 42-8.

Metabolic syndrome increases the risk of brest cancer

(NaturalNews) Discovering that physiological changes found in about 47 million Americans could be causing breast cancer may not sound like good news, but it is. Here's why: new research just published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers and Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, concludes there's a strong link between metabolic syndrome (also sometimes called insulin resistance syndrome) and the risk of developing postmenopausal breast cancer. And because metabolic syndrome is virtually totally preventable and usually reversible through healthy living the new study could well mean that many cases of breast cancer can be prevented, naturally, too.

Metabolic syndrome consists of several signs and symptoms including abdominal obesity, high blood glucose levels, impaired glucose tolerance, abnormal lipid levels (low levels of HDL, or "good" cholesterol, and high triglycerides) and high blood pressure. Found in sedentary people who are often overweight, eat junk food and make other poor nutrition choices, the syndrome has long been known to increase the risk for two other potentially killer diseases -- diabetes and heart disease. In fact, the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute (NHLBI) web site notes that almost 25 percent of all Americans have metabolic syndrome and the condition is growing at such an alarming rate due to increasing obesity that it may overtake smoking as the leading risk for heart disease.

Geoffrey C. Kabat, Ph.D., senior epidemiologist in the department of epidemiology and population health at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, New York, and colleagues conducted the current study to see if the elevated insulin levels found in metabolic syndrome are connected to the development of breast malignancies. It's the first time scientists have assessed whether women who met criteria indicating they have metabolic syndrome are at greater risk for postmenopausal breast cancer.

For their longitudinal study, the scientists worked with existing data from the Women's Health Initiative. This large, national study was created to assess major causes of chronic diseases in women. Research subjects included women between the ages of 50 and 79 at enrollment who were found to repeatedly have signs of metabolic syndrome over an eight-year period -- including elevated blood glucose, low HDL cholesterol and high triglycerides, hypertension and excessive fat around their middles.

Out of 4,888 women with baseline measurements for metabolic syndrome who did not have diabetes, 165 cases of breast cancer were diagnosed during the follow-up period. On the surface, this finding wasn't enough to link metabolic syndrome with breast cancer risk. But when the scientists analyzed repeated measurements, they found that women who had the metabolic syndrome for three to five years prior to being diagnosed with breast cancer had twice the risk of having the disease when compared to other women without the syndrome or who had not had it for long.

Moreover, the researchers also found significant associations between elevated blood glucose levels, triglycerides and diastolic blood pressure and breast cancer. Increased diastolic blood pressure (the second number in a blood pressure measurement), raised the risk of breast cancer an alarming 2.4 times. For both triglycerides and glucose, the relative risk was increased by 1.7 for all breast cancer.

Researcher Tim Byers, M.D., M.P.H., associate dean of the Colorado School of Public Health and interim director of the University of Colorado Cancer Center, points out that these findings could help explain why being overweight is a known risk factor for postmenopausal breast cancer.

"We have assumed that the relationship between weight and breast cancer risk is due to increased circulating estrogens among postmenopausal women who are overweight or obese," he said in a media statement. "An alternative explanation is explored here: that some other aspect of the metabolic syndrome might be involved, such as growth-stimulating effects of insulin, or insulin-like growth factors."

Dr. Byers added that additional research is needed to study specific ways in which the metabolism of the female hormone estrogen metabolism is tied to the metabolic syndrome. "Though estrogens are produced in adipose (fat) tissues, just how these are metabolized in various subgroups of women needs better study. In addition, the hyper-inflammatory state of obesity and the metabolic syndrome need to be better described relative to cancer risk."

Worried about breast cancer and already showing some signs of metabolic syndrome? You can gain control of your health by natural means. Healthy lifestyle changes can prevent and reverse symptoms metabolic syndrome. According to the NHLBI, weight loss, exercise, smoking cessation and nutritious foods are the first line of treatment. As reported previously in Natural News, some of the natural health strategies that can help beat metabolic syndrome include adding nuts to a Mediterranean style of eating (http://www.naturalnews.com/025098_n...), practicing yoga (http://www.naturalnews.com/023726_y...) and eating cinnamon (http://www.naturalnews.com/020826.html). In addition, avoiding diet sodas is wise (http://www.naturalnews.com/025644_d...) because research has linked these chemical-laden beverages with the development of metabolic syndrome.

For more information:< /B>
http://www.aacr.org/
http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/health/dci...
http://www.nih.gov/news/research_ma...

Vitamin A derivative to prevent breast cancer

(NaturalNews) What if a substance was found that normalizes out-of-control cell growth? The result could be a way to treat and prevent cancer. And a new study offers hope that discovery may have already been made. Scientists from the University of Chicago have just published groundbreaking research in the journal Cell which concludes a powerful compound exists that can restore a healthy balance to cell processes. It's not a new chemotherapy agent or drug but one derived from nature -- retinoic acid, a derivative of vitamin A.

According to the American Cancer Society, estrogen fuels the growth of two out of three breast cancers. The female hormone can spur on cancer by altering the expression of certain genes, resulting in breast cells that become malignant and proliferate. The University of Chicago study found that retinoic acid can also alter these same estrogen-sensitive genes. But instead of causing cells to grow without restraint, a hallmark of cancer, retinoic acid restored normal balance to the cells and inhibited their growth.

"This work reveals important insights on the interplay between vitamin A and estrogen action," said Myles Brown, MD, professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, in a statement to the media. "These insights will hopefully lead to new approaches for the prevention and treatment of the most common form of breast cancer."

Retinoic acid has already demonstrated cancer fighting effects in previous studies and it is currently used to treat a rare form of leukemia. In addition, earlier research has associated retinoic acid with the halting of breast cancer cell proliferation.

For the new study, Kevin White, PhD, professor of human genetics and director of the Institute for Genomics and System Biology at the University of Chicago, and colleagues focused on documenting cell receptors for the vitamin A derivative. They used a process dubbed ChIP-chip analysis that combines chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP), which locates where the retinoic acid receptors are bound to the genome, with micro-array gene-chip analysis, which measures the expression levels of specific genes.

This merging of techniques allowed the scientists to map out the complete genetic effects of retinoic acid and its receptors in a cell line provided by patients who had estrogen-fueled breast cancers. The results showed that 39 percent of the genomic regions bound by the estrogen receptor known as alpha overlapped with the estrogen receptors bound by retinoic acid.

What's more, they discovered that estrogen and retinoic acids receptors often competed to activate or repress many of the same genes. For example, estrogen increased expression of the same 139 genes that retinoic repressed and retinoic acid activated 185 genes that estrogen repressed. For approximately140 genes, estrogen and retinoic acid had the same effect.

So what does all this mean? As the scientists explained in their press statement, they now have evidence that estrogen and retinoic acid carry on a kind of "cross talk". So, although they can have opposite effects, certain estrogen and retinoic acid receptors on cells activate each other and normalize each other. That provides what the researchers call "an additional level of control for achieving a balanced regulation of expression."

Fruits and vegetables decrese the risk of breast cancer

(NaturalNews) Eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables drastically reduces the risk of ever getting breast cancer and of having a recurrence. Scientists at the University of Hong Kong have just released more research findings adding to the growing pile of evidence that selections from the produce section are the best bet for keeping away this dreaded disease.

The association between vegetable and fruit intake and breast cancer risk was evaluated using a hospital-based, case-controlled study. Four hundred and thirty-eight breast cancer cases were matched with an equal number of controls by age and place of residency. Their dietary intake was assessed by face-to-face interviews using a food frequency questionnaire. Multivariate logistical regression was used to estimate odds ratios.

Total vegetable and fruit intake was found to be inversely associated with breast cancer risk. The odds ratios of the highest quartile relative to the lowest quartile of total vegetable and fruit intake were 0.28 and 0.53 respectively. This means that those eating the lowest amounts had a 47% increased risk of breast cancer. Consumption of individual vegetable and fruit groups such as dark green leafy vegetables, cruciferous vegetables, carrots, tomatoes, bananas, melons (watermelon, papaya, and cantaloupe) was inversely and significantly related to breast cancer risk. An inverse association was also observed for vitamin A, carotene, vitamin C, vitamin E, and fiber intake. (International Journal of Cancer, July)

Fruits and vegetables modulate the cell cycle to safeguard health

People were created to eat fruits and vegetables. Several systems in the body depend on constituents from nature's garden for proper functioning. One of these is the cell cycle that regulates the growth and maintenance of all living things. During the cell cycle, chromosomes are duplicated, and one copy of each duplicated chromosome is transferred from the mother cell to the daughter cell. Proper regulation of this cycle is critical for the normal development and maintenance of health in multi-cellular organisms. If the cell cycle is not working as it should, cancer and other degenerative diseases may be the result.

The successful reproduction of new cells depends on two critical processes, the replication of DNA, and mitosis (the nuclear division of the daughter cell from the mother cell). Compounds from fruits and vegetables stand guard over this process and assure successful completion. (Frontiers in Bioscience, January, 2008)

In a world in which more and more genotoxins are constantly bombarding people, a greater intake of fruits and vegetables is necessary to modulate the effects of deregulation at cell cycle checkpoints and keep the cycle running smoothly creating new cells that are healthy. Up to ten servings of fruits and vegetables each day are now recommended by some health gurus.

Fruits and vegetables can reduce breast cancer recurrence by 40 percent

Scientists from the University of California examined the relationship between plasma carotenoid concentration as a biomarker of fruit and vegetable intake and the risk for a new breast cancer event in 1,550 women previously treated for early stage breast cancer. After 5 years of follow-up, those women with the highest plasma carotenoid concentrations had a 40% reduced risk for breast cancer recurrence. (Journal of Clinical Oncology, September, 2005).

Carotenoids are natural fat-soluble pigments found in certain plants. They provide the bright red, orange, yellow, blue and purple colorations found in the vegetable kingdom. Famous members of this family include beta-carotene found in carrots, spinach, kale and cantaloupe; lycopene found in tomatoes, pink grapefruit, watermelon, papaya, and apricots; and lutein, found in dark green leafy vegetables and blueberries.

Since carotenoids need lipids to become bioactive in the body, salads full of these colorful vegetables should always be eaten with some type of fat. The liberal use of extra virgin olive oil on a salad is a great way to bring its carotenoids to life. Fruits and nuts is another tasty combination. The healthy fats found in the nuts will bring to life all the carotenoids in the fruits. Snacking on dried fruits and nuts satisfies the sweet tooth while loading up the body with carotenoids. For best digestion, eat the fruits first and then the nuts rather than eating them together.

Fruits and vegetables with the highest anti-cancer activity

Almost all fruits and vegetables have anti-cancer activity. The superstars of the research labs are garlic and onions, cruciferous vegetables (broccoli, cabbage, kale, Brussels sprouts and greens), unbelliferous vegetables (carrots, celery, cilantro, parsley and parsnips), tomatoes, peppers, flax seeds, citrus, and soy. However, soy should never be eaten unless it is fermented in the traditional oriental manner and eaten as a small part of a mineral and protein rich meal.

Spirulina and chlorella are heavily pigmented microalgae. They are a nutrient rich vegetable food source rich in beta carotene and many other carotenoids, each with power to keep away breast cancer. They contain fatty acids to speed these carotenoids to work in the body.

Compounds from fruits and vegetables that have shown to help regulate the cell cycle include diindolymethane (DIM) from broccoli, apigenin from celery and parsley, curcumin from turmeric, epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) from green tea, resveratrol from red grapes and peanuts, genistein from soybeans, and silymarin from milk thistle. These are widely available as supplements.

For more information:
http://www.naturalnews.com/025810.html
http://www.naturalnews.com/024958_f...
http://www.naturalnews.com/025441_v...

Vitamin A- the new cancer treatment

(NaturalNews) A special form of vitamin A could be the key to the future of breast cancer prevention and treatment, according to researchers at the University of Chicago.

A team of scientists, headed by Professor Kevin Brown of the University's Institute for Genomics and System Biology, investigated the link between the vitamin form, known as retinoic acid, and the effect of estrogen in stimulating cancer growth. Many forms of breast cancer are 'estrogen sensitive', meaning that the hormone estrogen helps them to grow. The researchers looked into the ability of retinoic acid to suppress cancer-related genes that estrogen would stimulate to promote tumor growth. They discovered that the vitamin A derivative was able to switch off nearly 150 genes fueled by the hormone and that in nearly half of all cases the two compounds competed in 'see-saw' fashion to simultaneously activate or switch off the same genes.

Writing in the journal Cell, Professor Brown expressed his belief that the results suggest "new ways to think about preventing the disease in those at high risk." [1]

The link between breast cancer prevention or treatment and vitamin A has been known since as far back as 1993, when a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine revealed that women eating less than one serving of vitamin A-rich foods each day were 20% more likely to develop the disease. [2]

In 1999, a study published by the Journal of the National Cancer Institute suggested that pre-menopausal women with a family history of breast cancer but higher vitamin A intakes were significantly less likely to suffer from the disease than those with lower intakes. [3]

Also in 1999, a derivative of the nutrient known as fenretinide was found to prevent women with pre-existing cancers from developing a second tumor. Researchers in Italy treated 3,000 patients with fenretinide or no therapy after surgery and discovered that those in the treatment group were around 30% less likely to suffer further progression of the disease. Lead researcher Albert Costa of the European Institute of Ocology Breast Division in Milan stated that the compound could be "an effective treatment for patients" and "a potential preventative for healthy women at high risk". [4]

Retonic acid is already licensed to treat a rare form of cancer known as acute promyelocytic leukemia.

Commenting on the current study, Dr Myles Brown of Harvard Medical School and the Dana Farber Cancer Institute stated that "this work reveals important insights on the interplay between vitamin A and estrogen action. These insights will hopefully lead to new approaches for the prevention and treatment of the most common form of breast cancer."

[1] Brown et al. Retinoic Acid and Estrogen: A Clash of Titans. Cell. 2009 June.137: 1161-1163
[2] Hunter et al. A Prospective Study of the Intake of Vitamins C, E, and A and the Risk of Breast Cancer. 1993 July. 4; 329:324-249
[3] Zhang S et al. Dietary carotenoids and vitamins A, C, and E and risk of breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999; 91(6):547-556.
[4] Veronesi et al. Randomized trial of fenretinide to prevent second breast malignancy in women with early breast cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst. 1999. 91(21):1847-56.

Natural means to prevent breast cancer

(NaturalNews) One of the answers to breast cancer prevention has been right under our noses all along. When diets high in natural foods that inhibit the aromatase enzyme are eaten, breast cancers in postmenopausal women don't get a chance to start, according to research from the University of Munster in Germany. Scientists there have found that aromatase inhibitors are what keep normal cells from developing to the point where they can be classified as Grade 1 cancer.

Estrogen receptors (ER) alpha and beta are proteins found inside certain healthy cells of breast tissue. Estrogen binds with these receptors to stimulate tissue growth in young women during normal breast development. As women age these receptors play an important role in the development of breast cancer because they can continue to bind with excessive estrogen produced in breast tissue through the aromatization process, even after the ovaries no longer produce much estrogen. This can lead to the rapid growth and proliferation of mutated breast cells. If the process of aromatization is inhibited, excess estrogen will not be present in breast tissue to stimulate the growth of a cancer.

In a study designed to determine the effectiveness of aromatase inhibitors compared with anti-estrogen drugs, the German scientists analyzed 21 human breast cancer tissue samples for a change in the ER alpha /ER beta ratio during the malignant progression of breast cancers. They found that the transition from normal breast cells to grade 1 tumors was characterized by the down-regulation of ER beta, while the transition from grade 1 to grade 3 tumors was associated with the decrease in ER alpha expression. In stimulation assays they found that anti-estrogen drugs such as tamoxifen increased ER alpha expression and left ER beta unchanged. In contrast, aromatase inhibitors up regulated ER beta, and by doing so, blocked the initiation of cancer. (Anticancer Research, June)

Nature has provided an abundance of aromatase inhibitors

You don't have to take drugs to inhibit aromatase. Nature has provided plants that will get the job done without harmful side effects. In April, Natural News ran an article about the powerful aromatase inhibiting ability of chrysin (http://www.naturalnews.com/026086.html), a flavonoid from the passion flower plant. Research showed that chrysin worked as well to inhibit the aromatase enzyme as a drug designed for that purpose. Chrysin is normally taken as a supplement along with piperine which greatly enhances its bioavailability.

For those who would rather get their aromatase inhibiting flavonoids from whole foods, there are several good tasting choices. Beneficial compounds gotten from food have the added benefits of the perfect synergy found in a whole food as well as the other nutrients and compounds it contains.

Quercetin, naringenin, resveratrol, apigenin, genistein, and oleuropein are all powerful flavonoids from whole foods that inhibit aromatase while at the same time offering a treasure chest of other health benefits. When these foods are organically grown, they are higher in these flavonoids than produce grown conventionally.

Quercetin is the main reason an apple a day keeps the doctor away. It is a major antioxidant with important anti-aging benefits. It fights inflammation and reduces the cellular damage inflammation causes. By fighting inflammation, it also helps decrease swelling and pain, and keeps the circulatory system healthy. Quercetin helps prevent fatigue by helping to decrease damage from heavy exercise, and increase endurance. It is an anti-viral, and an immune system supporter and liver protector. Research has suggested that quercetin has other anti-cancer benefits aside from inhibiting aromatase in breasts and prostates. Cabbage, onions and garlic are other good sources of this powerful flavonoid.

Apigenin is a non-mutigenic flavonoid that has significant chemoprotective action against UV radiation. Research has shown apigenin reduces oxidative damage of DNA, inhibits the growth and induces differentiation in human leukemia cells, inhibits cancer cell transduction, and induces appropriate cell death. Like quercetin, apigenin acts as an anti-inflammatory and as an antispasmodic. Apigenin is found in good supply in celery, parsley, artichokes, basil, and chamomile.

Naringenin, is an antioxidant, free radical scavenger, anti-inflammatory, and immune system modulator. It has been shown to promote proper metabolism of carbohydrates. It was shown to reduce hepatitis C virus production by infected liver cells in cell culture and to inhibit the secretion of very low density lipoprotein by cells. As a cancer fighter, it reduces oxidative damage to DNA. Naringenin is found in all citrus and may be the reason that diets high in citrus are negatively correlated with heart disease. However, naringenin should not be obtained from grapefruit or grapefruit juice, which has an inhibitory effect on the human cytochrome P450 isofrom, another enzyme in the same complex as the aromatase enzyme. This enzyme is involved in breaking down and metabolizing sex hormones and preventing their excess accumulation in the body, so inhibiting it is not a good idea.

Resveratrol is a flavonoid gaining wide respect for its multitude of health benefits. Several recent research studies have revealed that resveratrol is highly effective against breast cancer by inhibiting ER positive and negative cell proliferation, cell cycle progression, and primary breast tumor growth. Resveratrol is protective of the liver even against alcohol. It also keeps the central nervous system strong by protecting neurons from oxidative stress. Resveratrol is found to some degree in the skin and seeds of red grapes. Muscadine grapes have the largest content and are often used to make red wine. Although supplements of resveratrol are popular and widely available, getting resveratrol from red wine allows you to get the entire grape polyphenol group of nutrients, a group that has been shown to work much better synergistically. Breast tumor growth and metastasis to bone and liver were shown to be better inhibited by the complete grape polyphenol complex.

Oleuropein gives olive oil its distinctive flavor and is found in abundance in the leaves of the olive tree. It is one of the reasons olive leaf is such a powerful tool for wellness. Oleuropein helps the body fight off viruses, bacteria, and fungi. It is contained in every part of the olive tree and is the basis of its defense from insects. Oleuropein has been shown to boost the immune defense of people too, as well as fostering a healthy balance between friendly bacteria in the intestinal tract. In animal research, oleuropein was shown to enhance nitric oxide production. It is also a potent antioxidant and anti-inflammatory.

All these foods are prominent features of the Mediterranean diet

Fresh fruits, vegetables, olive oil and red wine are components of the Mediterranean diet, the one and only diet that has consistently correlated with lower death rates from all causes. Flavonoids from each of these foods inhibit aromatase activity to reduce incidence of breast cancer. And when you chose a diet that features these foods on a regular basis, what you are really getting is the best all around prevention plan on earth.

For more information:

http://www.lef.org/abstracts/codex/...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Naringenin
http://www.naturalnews.com/025931_w...
http://www.health-science-report.co...
http://www.naturalnews.com/023346_m...

Zinc and selenium to fight breast cancer

(NaturalNews) Any woman wanting to avoid breast cancer or its recurrence needs to be aware of the real risk factors. These are not the factors you hear about from the typical oncologist who is interested in pushing drugs. Imbalances in the body are the real risk factors that explain why women get breast cancer, not lack of drugs. The only way to avoid cancer or its recurrence is to address these imbalances. Two minerals, zinc and selenium, are key in maintaining balance in the body and keeping cancer away. Recent research has added to the pile of data underscoring the importance of these minerals in keeping women cancer-free.

Researchers at Pennsylvania State University have reported that glands in the breast have unique zinc requirements resulting from their need to transfer extraordinary amounts of zinc into milk during lactation. When nursing women's breasts are deficient in zinc, the result can be severe zinc deficiency in the infant, resulting in impaired growth and development. When zinc is deficient or not properly metabolized, breast cancer is often an additional outcome. Lack of zinc has been implicated not only in the initiation of breast cancer, but also in the transition, progression, and metastasis of the disease. When zinc is deficient, cellular functioning in the breast is compromised. (Genes and Nutrition, April 2)

In France, scientists report that estrogen receptor expression in breast cancers is associated with differentiated tumors and a more favorable prognosis. The greater the resemblance of cancerous breast cells to non-cancerous breast cells, the less threatening is the disease. Although the exact mechanism underlying the protection ERs play against cancer progression remains to be researched, these scientists studied the actions of ER alpha, and documented that one of the ways this ER inhibits invasion is though its first zinc finger. A zinc finger is a group of proteins organized around a zinc ion that can bind to DNA and influence gene regulation. (Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology, 2008)

In other research, Dr. David Watts reviewed the hair trace mineral reports of thousands of women and found that a pattern of elevated boron, copper and calcium levels with lower levels of zinc occurred in women with breast cancer. According to Dr. Watts, boron and copper appear to make the body more sensitive to the stimulatory effects of estrogen, and less responsive to the quieting effects of progesterone. Zinc is the mineral that aids in the production and utilization of progesterone, so this pattern of mineralization makes women less progesterone responsive and more estrogen sensitive. Raising zinc levels and lowering boron, copper and calcium levels can bring these women into mineral balance and help in the creation of hormonal balance.

The primary gene protecting women from breast cancer, p53, is thought to be the most frequently mutated or altered gene in the development of cancer. This gene requires zinc, and if it is missing, the gene becomes mutated, resulting in it becoming inactivated or suppressed. Dysfunction of p53 is well documented in the development of breast cancer, indicating that a zinc deficiency is a risk factor for breast cancer independent of the levels of boron, copper and calcium.

Zinc is important in prostate gland function and may help prevent and treat prostate cancer. It has another important role in the lives of women too. Zinc is required for protein synthesis and collagen formation. Without adequate levels of zinc, skin begins to sag and lose its elasticity. The optimal balance ratio for copper and zinc is 1 to 10 according to nutrition experts Phyllis Balch CNC and James Balch M.D.

In addition to sagging skin, deficiency of zinc may result in the loss of the senses of taste and smell. It can cause fingernails to become thin, peel and develop white spots. Other possible signs of zinc deficiency for women include hair loss, high cholesterol levels, impaired night vision, increased susceptibility to infection, memory impairment, diabetes, skin lesions, and slow wound healing.

Food sources for zinc are brewer's yeast, egg yolks, kelp, lamb, legumes, lima beans, liver, meats, mushrooms, pecans, poultry, pumpkin seeds, sardines, seafood, soy lecithin, sunflower seeds, and wheat germ. Zinc is found in alfalfa, burdock, cayenne, chamomile, dandelion, eyebright, fennel seeds, milk thistle, nettle, parsley, rose hips, sage, skullcap, and wild yam. Zinc picolinate, zinc citrate, and zinc as methionine are good choices for supplemental zinc. These are available from many supplement companies.

The relationship between selenium status and intake among breast cancer patients was studied by scientists in Kuala Lumpur. 64 women with breast cancer and 127 matched controls were interviewed to obtain information on their habitual dietary intakes, demographic data, and medical history. Selenium status was determined from toenail and hair analysis. The researchers found that total energy and protein intake was significantly higher among controls than among the breast cancer cases. The selenium intake among the women with breast cancer was significantly lower than the controls. Breast cancer risk decreased with the increasing quartiles of selenium intake. Selenium in hair did not differ among breast cancer cases and controls, but selenium status in the nails of controls was significantly higher compared to the breast cancer cases. (Sinapore Medical Journal, March).

In a recent study done at the University of Washington, scientists investigated the signaling pathways modulated by selenium. They compared global gene expression profiles in mammary tissues from pubescent female rats maintained on a selenium (3ppm) diet with those on a standardized diet. The selenium-enriched diet altered the steady-state levels of genes involved in various cellular functioning, the most dramatic of which was the changes in the expression of multiple genes that regulate circadian rhythm.

The normal mammary tissue of rats fed the standardized diet showed little circadian oscillation relative to liver tissue. However, the mammary tissue of the selenium fed rats showed a progressive, time-dependent increase in the expression of circadian gene Per2, and a circadian regulated transcription factor. Further, the results showed that the expression of Per2 and transcription mitigated RNA was significantly decreased in mammary tumors arising in selenium fed rate, but not in tumors of rats on the control diet. This suggests that selenium-induced elevation in the expression of circadian genes was incompatible with mammary cancer. The researchers concluded that the Per 2 gene is an important target of selenium for cancer prevention. (Cancer Prevention Research, July, 2008)

Selenium's main role is inhibiting the oxidation of fats as a component of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase, one of the most powerful of the body's own antioxidants. When combined with vitamin E, selenium protects the immune system. It plays a vital role in regulating the effects of thyroid hormone on fat metabolism. In a study, men who consumed 200 mcg of selenium daily over a ten-year period had roughly half the risk of developing lung, prostate, and colorectal cancer compared with men who did not.

Symptoms of selenium deficiency are exhaustion, high cholesterol, infections, liver impairment, and pancreatic insufficiency. Westerners often do not have enough selenium, because it is processed out of the foods typically eaten. This is one of the reasons that American men are five times more likely than Japanese men to die from prostate cancer. The typical Asian diet contains four times the amount of selenium as the typical American diet.

Selenium is found in meat and grains, but the level depends on the soil content where the food was grown. It can be found in brewer's yeast, broccoli, brown rice, chicken, dairy products, garlic, kelp, liver, molasses, onions, salmon, seafood, vegetables, wheat germ, and whole grains. Perhaps the best source of selenium is Brazil nuts. Eating two of the nuts a day provides 240 mcg of selenium. Earl Mindell, in his Vitamin Bible, recommends 200 mcg of selenium intake daily.

For more information:

http://www.organicfacts.net/health-...

http://www.naturalnews.com/024456.html

http://www.survivordiver.com/breast...

Phyllis and James Balch, Prescription for Nutritional Healing, Fourth edition.

Natural compound restores genes involved in cancer

(NaturalNews) A gene called p53 that is known to be important in controlling cell growth and death has the ability to suppress tumors. It works as a kind of checkpoint to keep abnormal cells from growing and dividing unheeded and causing malignancies. But something --an environmental toxin, chemicals, radiation, no one knows for sure -- can mutate the gene. The result? It no longer protects the body against pre-cancerous cells, allowing them to progress into cancer. In fact, researchers have learned mutations in the p53 tumor suppressor gene play a role in about half of all human tumors.

The p53 mutation was just in the news when researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at Georgetown University Medical Center (GUMC) presented results of what is believed to be the largest p53 and breast cancer study in the US. At the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) in Denver, Colorado, the scientists said they've found that almost 26 percent of women studied who have breast cancer were found to have mutations in this gene. What's more, the women with the gene mutation had poorer outcomes and significantly higher risk of dying from their cancer.

"The p53 gene is the guardian of the genome because it signals the cell to repair DNA damage when that occurs. If we can find genetic or environmental risk factors that lead to damage of p53 or stress on the gene, we may be able to help prevent development of breast cancer as well as other cancers," the study's lead investigator, Catalin Marian, MD, PhD, a research instructor of cancer genetics and epidemiology at the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at GUMC, said in a media statement.

Meanwhile, another research team at Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center at GUMC presented a remarkable discovery about how a mutant p53 gene might be "fixed". They've observed that a natural substance can restore the cancer-stopping function to p53 in a variety of human tumor cells.

Specifically, the scientists have demonstrated that phenethyl isothiocyante (PEITC), a natural compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as watercress, broccoli and cabbage, can selectively deplete mutant p53. And when this happens in human cancer cells, the researchers said there's a restoration of what they call the "wild type", i.e. normal, function of p53.

This research strongly suggests that PEITC restores the normal p53 checkpoint control pathways in mutant p53-expressing tumor cells. Bottom line: this novel finding could well mean PEITC and other natural compounds in the isothiocyante family could play important roles in both cancer prevention and the treatment of human cancers linked to mutant p53 genes.

For more information:
http://explore.georgetown.edu/news/...
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_relea...

Natural alternative to breast cancer drugs

(NaturalNews) Women receiving the standard of care for breast cancer are often prescribed one of the aromatase inhibiting drugs as follow-up treatment. Patients are told the drug will prevent a recurrence of their disease. Aromatase inhibiting drugs are usually prescribed for the long term, with some women taking them for up to ten years. There are long lists of frightening side effects associated with these drugs, and eventually they stop working. Unfortunately, women are not told by their oncologists that nature has provided highly effective natural compounds that will also prevent disease recurrence. These compounds have no such side effects and can be used for as long as a woman desires to use them. Many research studies have demonstrated that chyrsin is the most effective of these compounds.

Aromatase inhibitors work by reducing levels of unbalanced estrogen in the body

Aromatase inhibitors are prescribed as follow-up treatment for hormone sensitive cancers of the breast, ovaries or uterus. These kinds of cancers are dependant on unbalanced estrogen in the body to fuel their growth. Aromatase inhibitors reduce levels of unbalanced estrogen in the body.

Excess unbalanced estrogen can be a problem for women of any age. While declining levels of estrogen are generally thought to be the hallmark of menopause, it is actually common for women to experience surges of abnormally high estrogen that is not balanced by progesterone and testosterone during any stage of adult life. For many women, estrogen dominance develops later in life, sometimes as a result of poor diet, liver impairment, lack of exercise, environmental factors, or as the result of menstrual cycles during which ovulation does not occur. When there is no ovulation, less progesterone is produced which can result in estrogen imbalance.

Women with estrogen dominance frequently exhibit unexplained weight gain, fibrocystic breast disease, PMS, migraines, irregular and heavy bleeding, endometriosis, fibroids, and ovarian cysts. Petroleum products, air pollution, plastics, and chemicals in food can make matters worse by acting as xenoestrogens, meaning they are estrogens foreign to the body. Xenoestrogens act like estrogens produced by the female body and can boost unbalanced estrogen levels.

Aromatase is an enzyme produced in the body that is needed for the final step in the production of estrogen as part of the hormonal cascade during which hormones are made from other hormones in a series of conversions. Without the aromatase enzyme, excessive production of estrogen stalls. This process is what makes aromatase inhibitors effective against hormone sensitive tumor growth.

Aromatase inhibitors can be prescribed for a variety of reasons such as the maintenance of healthy breast tissue, as a means of keeping estrogen at a proper level, to promote the development of lean muscle mass, or to counteract uterine fibroids. However, most prescriptions for aromatase inhibitors are written for women as part of breast cancer treatment.

Aromatase inhibiting drugs are toxic to the body

The main problem with aromatase inhibiting drugs is the fact that they are drugs. All drugs have unpleasant side effects and aromatase inhibitors are no exception. One of the most popular, Arimidex, has a list of side effects that includes hot flashes, nausea, weakness or fatigue, headaches, arthritis, general pain, joint pain, sore throat, bone pain, back pain, cough, difficulty breathing, osteoporosis, vomiting, broken bones, insomnia, swelling or water retention in the arms or legs, abdominal pain, constipation, diarrhea, high cholesterol, infections, weight gain, breast pain, dizziness, urinary tract infections, and loss of appetite. Some of these side effects such as bone pain and arthritis may not go away even when use of the drug is discontinued.

Drugs are foreign substances that do not occur in nature. As such the body must detoxify them through the liver, placing a huge strain on the liver's detoxifying function. Livers that are stressed from prolonged drug use can become enlarged and even cancerous. And because drugs are foreign substances they are identified by the immune system as invaders of the body, and the immune system mounts a defense against them. Since another dose of the drug is ingested each day, the immune system is continuously overworked and not available to do the job for which it was intended, which is keeping the body healthy and well.

Because aromatase inhibitors are drugs, they do not work indefinitely. Eventually the immune system is able to render them ineffective. Women who have relied on aromatase inhibitors to keep them safe from a recurrence of breast cancer are then left unprotected and uneducated as to what to do to protect themselves.

There is still one more unfortunate effect of aromatase drugs. They take the focus off the real issue which is why a breast cancer developed in the first place. Since cancer is an obvious wake up call that something is radically wrong in the body, this something needs to be addressed. Aromatise inhibitors may keep breast cancer away for awhile, but how about the rest of the body? If the conditions that promoted the breast cancer have not been addressed, there is danger of cancer to other organs and tissues as well as chance for other degenerative disease to get started because this is a body that has already exhibited a willingness to promote disease.

Chrysin found as effective as aromatase inhibiting drug

Chrysin is a flavonoid from Passiflora incarnate, commonly called passion flower. In a study at the University of Minnesota, published in 1993, chrysin and several other flavonoids were compared to an aromatase inhibiting drug used to treat hormone sensitive cancers. Chyrsin was found to be the most effective of all the flavonoids tested, and was found to be equal in potency to the drug.

Chrysin provides several other cancer fighting benefits not found in drugs

Chrysin has additional benefits that aromatase inhibiting drugs do not have. It a potent antioxidant that possesses vitamin-like activity in the body. It is an effective anti-inflammatory through the inhibition of the Cox 2 pathway.

Chrysin has recently been found to block the suppression of natural killer (NK) cells that are seen during surgery. NK cells are part of the immune system. They go after cancer cells and destroy them. During surgery the production of NK cells is suppressed by the body because of the traumatic nature of the event. However, during cancer surgery is the time when NK cells are needed most, so they can go after and kill any cancer cells escaping into the bloodstream that may seed new cancer growths elsewhere in the body. Additionally, chrysin is a potent inhibitor of breast cancer resistance protein, keeping patients who have chosen traditional drug treatments from developing multi-drug resistance.

Since the landmark study published in the September, 1993 Journal of Steroid Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, many other studies have confirmed the conclusion that chrysin is nature's most effective aromatase inhibitor. A study reported in the May, 2006 Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry studied the effects of several polyphenols on aromatase activity. Again, chrysin was found to be the most capable at inhibiting estrogen production. This study showed red wine, green tea, and black tea also significantly impacting aromatase activity, though to a lesser degree than chrysin.

The ability of chrysin to inhibit aromatization has not been lost on drug companies. Studies have been conducted to determine the effectiveness of altered forms of chyrsin that could qualify to be patented. Because natural substances cannot be patented, drug companies must alter them in some in order to stake a proprietary claim on them. The most recent of these in late 2007 studied methylated forms of chrysin for their effectiveness.

Chrysin should be taken with Piperine for enhanced bioavailability

Piperine is an alkaloid from black pepper that has been shown repeatedly to substantially increase the bioavailability of nutrients from supplements and foods. It has been found to significantly boost the bioavailability of chrysin according to the Life Extension Foundation.

Diet and lifestyle have a lot to do with aromatase

One's chosen diet and lifestyle are large factors in determining the amount of the aromatase enzyme in the body. Although chrysin is found in flowers, many flavonoids with lesser aromatase inhibiting abilities are found in common fruits and vegetables. Apples, cabbage, onions and garlic are good sources of quercetin, a powerful flavonoid. The flavonoid apigenin is found in parsley, celery and chamomile. Genistein and diadzein are isoflavones found in fermented soy. Red wine is still another source of healing flavonoids. Although alcohol may increase aromatase activity, the flavonoid components of red wine more than make up for it. Chrysin and other flavonoids from flowers are found in significant amounts in bee propolis and bee pollen. Any woman with signs of estrogen dominance may benefit from adding these flavonoid containing foods to her diet.

The aromatase enzyme resides in fat cells. This is why overweight and obesity are linked with breast and other hormone sensitive cancers. With fewer fat cells in the body, less unbalanced estrogen is produced. High levels of insulin, a big factor in weight gain and fat mass accumulation, promote production of the aromatase enzyme. Keeping insulin levels under control by avoiding processed and chemicalized foods will result in lower levels of aromatase and as a consequence, lower levels of unbalanced estrogen in the body. Maintaining adequate zinc levels also helps inhibit production of aromatase.

Grapefruit is a special case

A compound found in grapefruit and grapefruit juice produces an amazing effect according to research from the University of Hawaii. This compound, known as cytochrome p450, inhibits an enzyme group in the same complex as the aromatase enzyme. This enzyme inhibited by grapefruit is involved in breaking down and metabolizing sex hormones. If estrogens are not metabolized, excessive levels can accumulate in the body.

This prospective study, reported in the British Journal of Cancer, July 10, 2007, was based on data collected for the Multiethnic Cohort Study that involved 50,000 postmenopausal women spanning five ethnic groups. It found that grapefruit intake was significantly associated with an increased risk of breast cancer. The increased risk was comparable to the increased risk seen in women taking hormone substitution drugs as part of traditional HRT.

For more information see:

http://www.annieappleseedproject.or...

http://www.naturalnews.com/024829.html

DM Beaumont et al, The Effects of Chrysin, a Passiflora Incarnata Extract on Natural Killer Cell Activity in Male Sprague-Dawley Rats Undergoing Abdominal Surgery. AANA Journal, April, 2008.

B Ebert et al, Phytochemicals Induce Breast Cancer Resistance Protein in Caco-2 Cells and Enhance Transport of Benzo [a] Pyrene-3 Sulfate, Toxicology Science, April, 2007.

Green tea and medicinal mushrooms lower breast cancer risk

Green Tea, Mushrooms May Reduce Risk Of Breast Cancer


A new Australian study finds that women whose diets include plenty of green tea and mushrooms may have a lower risk of developing breast cancer.

The study, which involved more than 2,000 Chinese women, found that the more fresh and dried mushrooms the women consumed, the lower their breast cancer risk. The risk was lowest in women who also drank green tea everyday.

Rates of breast cancer among Chinese women is four to five times lower than those typically seen in Western nations, although that has been changing in recent years within China’s wealthier areas.

The current research suggests that traditional diets, particularly those including plenty of mushrooms and green tea, may help explain China's lower breast cancer incidence, said Dr. Min Zhang of the University of Western Australia in Perth, the study’s lead researcher.

Dr. Zhang and her colleagues conducted the study in southeast China with 1,009 breast cancer patients aged 20 and 87 years old and an equal number of healthy women of the same age. All completed a comprehensive dietary survey that asked them how often they ate certain foods.

The researchers found that women who consumed the most fresh mushrooms, 10 grams or more daily, were roughly two thirds less likely to develop breast cancer than those who consumed no mushrooms. Furthermore, those who ate 4 grams or more of dried mushrooms daily halved their cancer risk compared with women who ate no mushrooms.

The results showed that mushroom eaters who also consumed green tea everyday had only 11-18 percent the risk of breast cancer of women who consumed neither. However, the researchers emphasize that the study does not prove a cause-and-effect relationship.

The study accounted for various breast cancer risk factors, such as education level, weight, exercise frequency and smoking status, but there could be other factors at work that might explain the findings.

The study is the first to link high dietary amounts of green tea and mushrooms to a reduction in breast cancer risk, Zhang said in an interview with Reuters.

Therefore, it’s premature for women to assume that consuming these foods will help them prevent breast cancer, she said.

However, it is biologically plausible, according to the researchers.

Previous lab studies have demonstrated that mushroom extracts contain anti-tumor properties, which in animals can stimulate the immune system's cancer defenses. And green tea contains antioxidant compounds known as polyphenols, which have been shown to fight breast tumors in animals.

Dr . Zhang and her colleagues published a report about the findings in the International Journal of Cancer. An abstract can be viewed at http://www3.interscience.wiley.com/journal/121428129/abstract.





Source: redOrbit Staff

Lentils decreasing risk of breast cancer

(NaturalNews) Lentils are delicious, versatile, and easy to prepare. They are one of civilization's oldest foods. First cultivated in the Near East over ten thousand years ago, lentils have been a traditional food staple that provides a wealth of nutritional benefits for pennies a serving. Lentils belong to the legume family. This is a group of vegetables that are at the base of the Mediterranean diet pyramid, a diet that reduces mortality from all causes. New research is showing that a diet rich in lentils and other legumes is associated with a reduced risk of breast cancer.

Dietary patterns and breast cancer are associated

Scientists at the University of Southern California in conjunction with those at the University of Minnesota investigated the association between dietary patterns and breast cancer risk in Asian Americans. Their population-based, case-controlled study in Los Angeles Country compared dietary patterns of 1248 Asian American women with diagnosed breast cancer, and 1148 matched controls.

A scoring method was used that found adherence to a Mediterranean diet was inversely associated with breast cancer risk. This means that the more people tended to eat the Mediterranean diet, the lower was their risk of breast cancer. Three dietary patterns were identified, and labeled Western (meat/starch based), ethnic (meat/starch based), and vegetable based. Women who were high consumers of the Western and ethnic meat/starch diets and low consumers of the vegetable based diet showed the highest risk of developing breast cancer with an odds ratio that was more than doubled. In their conclusions, the scientists placed credit for these benefits primarily on higher consumption of legumes. The study was reported in the February 11 American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Tiny but mighty lentils provide plenty of other health benefits

Lentils are popular in the vegetarian community because of their high levels of protein. A one hundred gram serving of lentils has around twenty-six grams of protein. However, like all vegetable protein, lentil protein is not complete. It is lacking two essential amino acids, isoleucine and lysine. The means that another food containing these missing amino acids must also be added to a meal made up primarily of lentils. This is easily accomplished by adding brown rice or another high protein grain. And for non-vegetarians it is accomplished with the addition of small amounts of cheese or meat.

Lentils are an excellent source of many B vitamins including B6 and folate, the nutrients that help lower levels of homocysteine. Homocysteine damages artery walls and is considered a serious risk factor for heart disease. When folate and B6 are present, homocysteine is converted to health promoting cysteine and methionine.

The high level of magnesium found in lentils is another cardiovascular health booster. Magnesium is a natural calcium channel blocker. It makes veins and arteries relax, and it improves blood flow that carries oxygen to the cells. Cells that are well oxygenated cannot produce cancer.

An older study, reported in the July 1999 European Journal of Epidemiology, examined food intake patterns and 25 year risk of death from coronary heart disease in 12,763 middle-aged men from seven countries. Different food-groups and combinations were considered for comparison among cohorts. Typical patterns were higher consumption of dairy products in Northern Europe; higher consumption of meat in the U.S.; higher consumption of vegetables, legumes, fish, and wine in Southern Europe; and higher consumption of cereals, soy products, and fish in Japan. When the data was analyzed it revealed that that those who ate vegetables, legumes, fish, and wine had the greatest reduction in risk of death from coronary heart disease. Legumes were associated with an amazing 82% reduction in risk.

Eating lentils keeps energy levels high

Lentils are fiber superstars, and as such are able to help lower LDL cholesterol levels. Soluble fiber grabs hold of cholesterol containing bile and escorts it out of the body. Fiber also helps prevent constipation and digestive disorders.

Lentils are also powerful blood sugar stabilizers. Anyone prone to insulin resistance, hypoglycemia or diabetes can be helped by eating lentils, since they normalize blood sugar levels while providing the body with a steady stream of energy.

In a study reported by The World's Healthiest Foods, researchers compared two groups of people with type 2 diabetes who were fed different amounts of high fiber foods. One group ate the standard diet used by diabetics in America, containing 24 grams of fiber per day. The other group ate a diet containing 50 grams of fiber per day. Their results showed the group eating the high fiber diet had lower levels of both plasma glucose and insulin. The high fiber group also reduced their total cholesterol by nearly 7%, their triglyceride levels by 10.2 percent, and their VLDL (very low density lipoprotein) cholesterol levels by 12.5%.

Lentils are a cooks dream

Dried lentils can be bought already bagged or from bulk bins. Organic dried lentils sell for about one dollar a pound. Store lentils in an airtight jar in a cool, dark place.

There are several varieties of lentils. The most common are red, green and brown. The red variety is the most delicately flavored and cooks the quickest.

Lentils are a versatile food. They have the texture of beans and a milder flavor. Unlike beans, they do not need to be soaked before they are prepared, and can be ready to eat in under 45 minutes. Lentils have a delightful flavor of their own, and easily pick up the flavor of other ingredients. Here are recipes for quick, high flavor lentil dishes

Red Lentil Dah

Ingredients:

Two cups chopped onion
Three cloves of minced garlic

Three cups water
One and one quarter cup dried red lentils
Three quarters teaspoon turmeric
Three quarters teaspoon ground cumin
One half teaspoon chopped fresh ginger or ground

One cup basmati brown rice
Two plum tomatoes, seeded, chopped
One quarter cup chopped fresh cilantro
One jalapeno chili, seeded and chopped (if desired)

Preparation:

Rinse lentils. Combine 3 cups water, lentils, onion, garlic, and spices in heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer until lentils are tender, about 15 minutes. For a thicker mixture, puree 1/3 of the mixture and return to the saucepan. Season with sea salt and black pepper. Serve over rice and garnish with the chopped jalapeno.

Brown Lentils and Spinach

Ingredients:

One cup brown lentils
One bunch fresh spinach cleaned and finely chopped
One medium onion chopped
Two cloves garlic chopped
One teaspoon coriander
One tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Juice from one half lemon or lime

Preparation:

Rinse lentils. Place in large saucepan and cover with 2 inches of water. Boil for 8 minutes. Rinse and return to saucepan. Add onion, garlic, and coriander. Fill with just enough water to cover. Bring to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 25 to 30 minutes. Add spinach, olive oil, lemon juice, and sea salt to taste. Serve warm.

Lentils make a great cold main dish or salad

Lentils are tiny, so they can be blended with finely chopped fresh vegetables right out of the garden to make a highly digestible and delicious spring or summer main dish or salad. Finely chop red onion, green onion, red bell pepper, yellow bell pepper, green bell pepper, tomato, any kind of parsley, and basil. Add to precooked green or brown lentils. Dress with red wine vinegar, olive oil, pepper, and sea salt. The salt is needed to coax the juices from the vegetables adding extra flavor to the dressing and making the dish more digestible. Toss and let marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours before serving.

For more information:

http://www.healthmad.com/Nutrition/...

http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?...

http://www.all-creatures.org/recipe...

Cancer cells exist before the tumor is detected

(NaturalNews) Seemingly healthy cells may spread to distant parts of the body long before any cancerous tumors are visible, researchers have discovered. This suggests that the virulence of a specific case of cancer might actually be determined early in the disease, perhaps even before diagnosis.

At issue is a phenomenon called metastasis, by which cancer cells spread from one organ to a non-adjacent organ. Cancers that have metastasized are particularly lethal and hard to treat; the majority of lethal breast cancers, for example, are metastatic.

"These findings indicate that properties inherent in normal cells are sufficient for negotiating a significant portion of the metastatic cascade," lead researcher Dr Katrina Podsypanina said. "Our data seems to point toward the inherent decision that is made when the tumor is formed whether it is highly malignant or not."

The findings might explain the mystery of why some cancers have such high rates of metastasis and recurrence. Breast cancer is one such disease, with roughly 20 percent of women who are free of cancer five years after diagnosis suffering a recurrence some time in the following 10 years.

Previously, researchers had thought that metastasis could only occur in the late stages of cancer, when highly developed cancer cells break off from tumors and enter the circulatory or lymphatic systems. They had thought that prior to this point, cells would be unable to survive the journey and establish themselves in other organs.

In the current study, published in the journal Science, Podsypanina and colleagues at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Center in New York injected mice with mammary (breast) cells that had been genetically modified to contain an "oncogene" that could be switched on to turn them cancerous. These cells were observed to travel through the blood and establish colonies in the lungs, where they were able to survive for up to 16 weeks.

They did not begin to form tumors, however, until their oncogenes were switched on. At that point, they rapidly developed into aggressive tumors without passing through the traditional early stage.

For comparison, the researchers also injected mice with non-modified mammary cells. In these mice, too, the breast cells established colonies in the lungs that were observed to grow and proliferate. These clusters of mammary cells never became malignant, however. When they were removed and implanted into other mice, they developed into normal, apparently healthy breast tissue.

"The finding that metastatic disease can arise from untransformed mammary cells in the circulation refines our conception of cancer progression," the researchers said.

The researchers and other cancer experts cautioned that more research is needed before it can be known for sure whether healthy cells are really involved in the spread of cancer. For one thing, it is not clear why or how healthy cells would get to other parts of the body in the first place, or how they would be activated once there.

"This does suggest that cells can sit for a long time, and then be activated," said Claudine Isaacs of Georgetown University. "But these cells were injected into the circulation. Normal breast cells are not supposed to be in the circulation."

In addition, the same effect might not occur in humans as in mice.

Yet if the implications of the study are correct, it might be possible to develop new cancer treatments that prevent the disease from spreading and becoming more lethal.

"If follow-up research suggested that dissemination of normal breast cells can account for metastatic relapse in breast cancer patients (a hypothetical situation, at present), we would argue that treatment strategies should aim to compromise viability and/or proliferation of normal breast cells, and not just breast tumor cells," they said.

"It's definitely conceptually very profound," Podsypanina said.

Sources for this story include: news.bbc.co.uk; info.cancerresearchuk.org; www.washingtonpost.com.

Unhappy marriages-higher risk for breast cancer

(NaturalNews) Are you in an unhappy marriage? If so, please take note - a recent study on women has found that problems in marriage result in poor outcomes for breast cancer sufferers.

Details and Findings of Study

The findings of this study, which was conducted at the Ohio State University, will be published in the journal Cancer. The study had looked at some 100 women who were either married or residing with a partner when the study commenced, and who remained in the relationship in the 5-year follow-up period. Of the 100 subjects, 72 reported being in good marriages, with the other 28 reporting marriages in distress.

The study found that women who were in distressed marriages underwent less physical activity, had higher levels of stress, were slower to recover and also suffered more signs and symptoms of sickness as compared to the women who were in happy marriages. And these findings applied even after the study team accounted for factors such as the female subjects' depression levels, stage of cancer, cancer treatment as well as other factors which could influence their state of wellbeing.

"The quality of the marital relationship may not be the first thing women worry about when they get a cancer diagnosis. But it may have a significant impact on how they cope physically and emotionally. Our results suggest that the increases in stress and other problems that come with a distressed marital relationship can have real health consequences and lead to poorer recovery from cancer," said Hae-Chung Yang, a research associate in psychology at Ohio State University and co-author of the study.

Women in happy marriages also suffer trauma arising from their diagnoses; significantly, they recover better

The study also revealed that even the women in the better marriages would initially go through a period of high stress levels after their cancer diagnoses, as high as those who were in unhappy marriages. But, the key thing was, those in the happy marriages would experience a steady decrease in such stress.

"When you're diagnosed, that's devastating for everyone, regardless of the quality of your marriage. But women in good marriages saw steady reductions in their cancer-related stress, while women in distressed marriages had a much slower recovery," added Yang.

Relationships do not seem to improve after diagnosis

Another sad thing for those in the reportedly bad marriages - even being hit with such a serious illness, most of them do not experience any improvement in the quality of their marriages, a finding which is consistent with those of previous studies. You would think that, perhaps the husbands of these women would become more loving or caring after their partners take ill, but apparently, that does not happen.

"Whether you have a good or bad relationship before being diagnosed with cancer, that is not likely to change afterwards," said Yang.

Bottom line

A holistically natural and healthy lifestyle goes beyond the physical elements of nutrition and exercise. The great natural healer Dr John Christopher was said to have once remarked that the best healing element is love. On the flip side, others have said that there is nothing more toxic than strained relationships. And, of course, profiling work done on cancer patients has revealed the frequent presence of underlying emotional issues.

"Clearly, marital distress is a risk factor for numerous poorer outcomes, and it is never too late to work to improve your marriage, not only for your emotional well-being but also for your health," added Yang.

Sounds like good advice to me.

Source

Marital Distress May Affect Breast Cancer Recovery (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...)

Wearing bras shown to cause cancer risk

(NaturalNews) Is it possible that wearing a bra can actually cause cancer? Studies show that this is a very real possibility. The reason is that regularly wearing a bra prevents lymph drainage and circulation, which can greatly increase the possibility of developing breast cancer.

The lymphatic and circulatory systems are responsible for both delivering vital nutrients and clearing out toxins. When the body does not have access to nutrients or when it is under the attack of toxins, cancer may develop.

A study published in the European Journal of Cancer studied factors for breast cancer such as breast size and handedness. They discovered that premenopausal women who do not wear bras are less than half as likely to get breast cancer that those who regularly wear a bra. A study conducted by researcher David Moth revealed that even the lightest bras place pressure on the lymphatic system.

Other research published in Chronobiology International in 2000 discovered that regular bra wearing decreases the production of melatonin, which is a potent natural antioxidant and the hormone that regulates sleep, boosts the immune system and, incredibly fights aging. Balanced melatonin levels are essential for the body to fight many types of cancer, including breast cancer.

Researchers Singer and Grismaijer observed 4,500 women and their bra wearing practices. An amazing 3 out of 4 women who wore their bras 24 hours per day developed breast cancer. Women who wore their bras more than 12 hours per day had a 1 in 7 chance of getting breast cancer. 1 out 152 women who wore their bra less than 12 hours a day got breast cancer and an incredibly low 1 out of 168 women who rarely or never wear a bra developed breast cancer.

These same researchers studied the indigenous populations of New Zealand and Australia. The Maoris, who are indigenous to New Zealand, are basically fully integrated into mainstream New Zealand life and interestingly have the same chances of developing breast cancer. The aboriginals of Australia on the other hand have not integrated into regular western society and do not regularly wear bras, and have practically no breast cancer. Japanese, Fijians, and many women from other cultures were found to have a significantly higher chance of developing breast cancer when they began wearing bras.

It may be interesting to note that a very small proportion of men do develop breast cancer, exactly the same amount as women who go braless!

European, Journal of Cancer 1991 ;27(2): 131-5.
Cancer is Not a Disease by Andreas Moritz

Brussels sprouts in the cancer defend

(NaturalNews) Plant phytonutrients found in Brussels sprouts boost the body`s natural defense systems to protect against cancer and other diseases. Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables disarm cancer causing chemicals and encourage the body`s detoxification enzymes.

Evidence in the Netherlands suggests that Brussels sprouts keep the body free from cancer by promoting healthy DNA. DNA is responsible for cell division in the body. When DNA gets damaged, cells may begin to replicate much more rapidly than normal, which can cause a cancerous tumor to begin to form. Several studies reveal that Brussels sprouts have the ability to help protect DNA from damage.

Researchers compared two groups of healthy men. Half of these men ate 300 grams of Brussels sprouts daily, while the other men didn`t have any cruciferous vegetables in their diet. After three weeks, the men who ate their daily dose of Brussels sprouts had a 28% decrease in measured DNA damage.

Diminish Digestive Cancers with Brussels Sprouts

The phytonutrients in Brussels sprouts have been shown to protect against heterocyclic amines, which are the carcinogenic compounds found in grilled and charbroiled meat. These carcinogens are particularly associated with colon cancer. The study, published in Carcinogenesis, found that animals that were given Brussels sprout juice and heterocyclic amine carcinogen were less likely to develop the cancer.

The animals given Brussels sprouts had a reduction in pre-cancerous cells in the colon of 41-52% in the colon and 27-67% in the liver, and drastically diminished the size (85-91%) of pre-cancerous lesions in the liver. These amazing results seem to be a result of Brussels sprouts potent ability to detoxify the body and clear out the colon.

Brussels sprouts are also packed with fiber, which nourishes the cells lining the walls of the colon and prevents colon problems including cancer.

Brussels Sprouts Fight Bladder Cancer

Research published in the International Journal of Cancer shows that Brussels sprouts protect against bladder cancer. The diets of 697 people who were recently diagnosed with bladder cancer were compared with 708 people with the same age, gender and ethnicity who were healthy. The average daily intake of Brussels sprouts and other cruciferous vegetables was significantly lower in those with bladder cancer than in their healthy counterparts. Those who had the highest intake of Brussels sprouts and cruciferous vegetables had a 29% lower risk of bladder cancer that those who ate the least.

The benefits of these vegetables were highest in those who have the highest risk of bladder cancer, including men, smokers and older individuals.

Brussels sprout`s bladder cancer properties appear to come from their high levels isothiocyanates, which are potent anti-carcinogens. Isothiocyanates travel through the bladder to be excreted, making them particularly powerful against this form of cancer.

Breast Cancer Protection

Sulforaphane is released by Brussels sprouts and has been proven to trigger the liver to produce enzymes that detoxify the body of cancer-causing chemicals They have been shown to inhibit chemically-induced breast cancers in animal studies. Research published in the Journal of Nutrition shows that sulforaphane can halt the proliferation of breast cancer cells, even in the later stages of their growth.

Defend Against Prostate Cancer

Research at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle studied 1,000 men. It was shown that eating 28 servings of different vegetables a week reduced their risk of prostate cancer by 35%. But those who ate 3 or more servings of cruciferous vegetables each week had a 44% lower prostate cancer risk.

Many people claim to not enjoy eating Brussels sprouts. If you are not a fan of this incredible food, try chopping them up into tiny peices and sprinkling them over a salad. You won`t even be able to taste them but you will still get the health enhancing benefits and defend your body against disease.

http://www.whfoods.com
http://www.drbriffa.com

Lack of sleep and breast cancer

(NaturalNews) A study on almost 24,000 Japanese women recently published in the British Journal of Cancer has found that lack of sleep can greatly increase the risk of breast cancer, with women who slept 6 hours or less every night having a significantly higher risk.

Breast Cancer Statistics

Breast cancer is the most common cancer to hit women worldwide. In Japan, when age-standardized to the world population, the incidence rate was 28.3 per 100,000 in 1991, and rose to 39.5 in 2001.

In the United States in 2004, the disease hit more than 185,000 women and over 1,800 men, with almost 41,000 women and 362 men dying from it that year. In that year, after non-melanoma skin cancer, breast cancer was the next highest cancer killer of American women. It was also their fifth highest killer overall.

Next up, over to Canada, where, among the women, breast cancer is the most common type of cancer to strike. According to Canadian Cancer Society estimates, about 22,400 women will be diagnosed with the disease this year, with about 5,300 dying from it.

With such grim statistics, every little thing which can be done to prevent and combat the disease becomes all the more critical.

Details of Study

The Ohsaki National Health Insurance (NHI) Cohort Study started in 1994 and involved 28,515 women in northeastern Japan. The questionnaire used included information on sleep duration and other lifestyle habits.

Participants who had withdrawn from the NHI study before follow-up, had a history of cancer, did not provide information on their sleep duration, and who reported having slept for less than 4 hours or more than 12 hours every night were omitted. This left the data for 23,995 women to be analyzed. An 8-year period, from 1995 to 2003, was used, during which 143 women were hit with breast cancer.

Findings of Study

The women who slept 7 hours each night was used as the reference group. It was then found that women who slept 6 hours or less each night had a 62% higher risk of getting breast cancer. On the other hand, those who slept 9 hours or more every night had a 28% lower risk of getting the disease.

It would follow, then, that those who slept 6 hours or less every night had 2.25 times the risk of getting breast cancer when compared to those who slept 9 hours or more each night.

The results remained largely consistent even when participants who were diagnosed with breast cancer within 3 years from the start of the study were excluded, or when the data was analyzed by age and menopausal status.

Previous Studies

The findings of this study validates the findings of two previous prospective cohort studies relating breast cancer and sleep duration (Verkasalo et al, 2005, Wu et al, 2008). Those two studies had also shown a significant decrease in breast cancer risk for those who slept the longest.

It must be noted, though, that another such study (Pinheiro et al, 2006) did not find any such association. The study team pointed out, however, that that study had looked at residential nurses, who underwent rotating-shift work and had varying sleep timings. The findings of that study thus might not be applicable to the general population.

Strengths and Limitations of Study

According to the study team, their research had a couple of strong points. Firstly, it used study subjects from the general population, thus allowing for overall generalization of its findings. In addition, it used the Miyagi Prefectural Cancer Registry, which the study team said is "one of the earliest and most accurate population-based cancer registries in Japan".

There were also, however, several limitations. Firstly, self-reported sleep data was used, and assessment was also only carried out once. In addition, and probably very significantly, no information on sleep quality, sleep timing, use of sleep medication, or presence of sleep disorders were available. These factors, of course, are very important as they can directly or indirectly affect cancer risk.

Further, the researchers added that they had no information with regard to rotating-shift work or night work, but they felt that would not have affected their findings greatly as more than half of the study subjects were housewives, farmers or retired.

The Sleep Duration – Breast Cancer Link

Why is breast cancer risk linked to sleep duration? The answer could lie in melatonin, which is secreted during night sleep. When a person sleeps fewer hours, less melatonin is secreted, and lower levels of the chemical had previously been associated with increased breast cancer risk.

In addition, melatonin may possess an inhibitory effect on gonadal function, which includes synthetizing and secreting sex hormones. It had also been found to have an antiproliferative effect on breast cancer cells.

The Bottom Line

If the findings from this study are indeed accurate, then there is an immense difference in breast cancer risk between sleeping 4 to 6 hours every night, and just sleeping 1 to 3 hours more each night. In fact, it is more than likely that the protective effects of sufficient sleep also extend to other forms of cancer. 7 hours of sleep a night may thus be a good number to aim for.

Hopefully, in time to come, further research will reveal more information relating sleep and disease risk, with sleep quality and sleep timing being two of the main possibilities.

Main Source

Sleep duration and the risk of breast cancer: the Ohsaki Cohort Study (http://www.nature.com/bjc/journal/v99/n...)