THE LIST:
1.) GREEN TEA EXTRACT/EGCG
- There’s evidence showing EGCG’s synergy w/Tamoxifen and other anti-cancer drugs (1)
- It’s demonstrated an ability to improve quality of life for patients undergoing conventional treatment protocols
- There are multiple studies showing it inhibits proliferation of human breast cancer cells both in vitro (test tube) and in vivo (in the body). (2)
2.) IP-6 – INOSITOL HEXAPHOSPHATE
- Some profound anticancer properties of IP(6) have been demonstrated in different experimental models. In addition to reducing cell proliferation, IP(6) also induces differentiation of malignant cells.(3)
- Preliminary studies in humans show that IP(6) enhances the anticancer effect of conventional chemotherapy, control cancer growths, and improves patient quality of life.(3)
- Besides decreasing cellular proliferation, IP6 also causes differentiation of malignant cells often resulting in a reversion to normal phenotype – or healthy cells(4)
3.) CURCUMIN
- Both epi demio logical and experimental data has shown the efficacy of curcumin in chemo prevention and reversing chemo-resistance of tumors of certain cancers (5)
- Chemotherapy in breast cancer often fails due to the body resisting drugs used to treat it. A phytochemical such as curcumin can be used as a therapeutic adjunct given it elicits anti-tumor effects (6)
- Curcumin downregulated the expression of tumor markers both in vitro and in vivo and sensitized tumor cells to the chemotherapeutic drugs cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel (6)
FINAL WORD: When you really dig into this topic, you’ll find 2 things the medical orthodoxy is all but oblivious to:
1.) The incredible potential of these products to prevent or compliment conventional treatment and
2.) The ability to improve clinical outcomes for patients while improving their quality of life…..
When cancer hits home, it really galvanizes you. At least it did that for me, as my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer years ago (she ultimately beat it). Don’t EVER let anyone tell you different – there’s ALWAYS something you (yes YOU, someone without a white coat) can do to help. These supplements are inexpensive, little known to the medical orthodoxy and cost pennies a day.
REFERENCES:
(1) Prevention of mammary carcinogenesis in C3H/OuJ mice by green tea and tamoxifen.
Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 2011;12(2):567-71. M, Ikeda T, Imoto S, Jinno H, Kitagawa Y.
Source
Department of Surgery, School of Medicine, Keio University, Tokyo, Japan. sakamic@me.com
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Tamoxifen (TAM) is useful in the chemoprevention of breast cancer, and green tea catechins, including (-)-epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG), may have similar actions. In this study, we investigated their effects, alone or in combination, on mammary carcinogenesis using breast cancer cells and preneoplastic lesions inC3H/OuJ mice.
METHODS:
Growth inhibitory effects of EGCG and TAM on MCF-7 cells were evaluated with the anchorage-independent colony forming assay. The effects on mammary tumor carcinogenesis and preneoplastic lesions were assessed in vivo using animals treated with GTE in drinking water (1%, 0.1%), or a tamoxifen pellet (10 mg/ animal, subcutaneously inoculated) or both agents in combination (1%GTE + 10 mg TAM). The number and size of mammary tumors were measured weekly during treatment. At 48 weeks of age, mice were sacrificed for the examination of hyperplastic alveolar nodules (HAN) and argyrophilic nucleolar organizer regions (AgNOR).
RESULTS:
In the anchorage-independent growth assay, EGCG and TAM exhibited dose-dependent antiproliferative effects on MCF-7 cells. In the tumor formation assay, tumor incidences were decreased in the GTE, TAM, and GTE+TAM groups, particularly in the latter, in which no tumors developed. AgNOR counts were also significantly lower in the 1%GTE+TAM compared with the 1%GTE group, suggesting an additional anticarcinogenic effect.
CONCLUSION:
These data suggest that GTE and TAM, individually and in combination, have potential for chemoprevention of breast cancer.
(2) Green tea polyphenols and its constituent epigallocatechin gallate inhibits proliferation of human breast cancer cells in vitro and in vivo.
Cancer Lett. 2007 Jan 8;245(1-2):232-41. Epub 2006 Mar 6.-
Thangapazham RL, Singh AK, Sharma A, Warren J, Gaddipati JP, Maheshwari RK.
Source
Department of Pathology, Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences, 4301 Jones Bridge Road, Bethesda, MD 20814, USA.
Abstract
Tea [Camellia sinensis (Theaceae)] intake is second only to water in terms of worldwide popularity as a beverage. The Green tea polyphenols have been shown to have a protective effect in prostate cancer in various pre-clinical animal models and has been reported to be effective in several othercancer types as well. An inverse association between the risk of breast cancer and the intake of green tea has also been reported in Asian Americans. Several epidemiological studies have shown that breast cancer progression is delayed in the Asian population that consumes green tea on regular basis. In this study, we report the effectiveness of green tea polyphenols (GTP) and its constituent Epigallocatechin Gallate (EGCG) in tumor regression using both in-vitro cell culture models and in vivo athymic nude mice models of breast cancer. The anti-proliferative effect of GTP andEGCG on the growth of human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cell was studied using a tetrazolium dye-based (MTT) assay. Both GTP and EGCGtreatment had the ability to arrest the cell cycle at G1 phase as assessed by flow cytometry. The expression of Cyclin D, Cyclin E, CDK 4, CDK 1 and PCNA were down regulated over the time in GTP and EGCG treated experimental group, compared to the untreated control group as evaluated by western blot analysis for cell cycle proteins, which corroborated the G1 block. Nude mice inoculated with human breast cancer MDA-MB-231 cells and treated with GTP and EGCG were effective in delaying the tumor incidence as well as reducing the tumor burden when compared to the water fed and similarly handled control. GTP and EGCG treatment were also found to induce apoptosis and inhibit the proliferation when the tumor tissue sections were examined by immunohistochemistry. Our results suggest that GTP and EGCG treatment inhibits proliferation and induce apoptosis of MDA-MB-231 cells in-vitro and in-vivo. All together, these data sustain our contention that GTP and EGCG have anti-tumor properties.
(3) Protection against cancer by dietary IP6 and inositol.
Nutr Cancer. 2006;55(2):109-25.
Vucenik I, Shamsuddin AM.
Source
Department of Pathology, University of Maryland School of Medicine, MD 21201, USA. ivucenik@umaryland.edu
Abstract
Inositol hexaphosphate (IP(6)) is a naturally occurring polyphosphorylated carbohydrate, abundantly present in many plant sources and in certain high-fiber diets, such as cereals and legumes. In addition to being found in plants, IP(6) is contained in almost all mammalian cells, although in much smaller amounts, where it is important in regulating vital cellular functions such as signal transduction, cell proliferation, and differentiation. For a long time IP(6) has been recognized as a natural antioxidant. Recently IP(6) has received much attention for its role in cancer prevention and control of experimental tumor growth, progression, and metastasis. In addition, IP(6) possesses other significant benefits for human health, such as the ability to enhance immune system, prevent pathological calcification and kidney stone formation, lower elevated serum cholesterol, and reduce pathological platelet activity. In this review we show the efficacy and discuss some of the molecular mechanisms that govern the action of this dietary agent. Exogenously administered IP(6) is rapidly taken up into cells and dephosphorylated to lower inositol phosphates, which further affect signal transduction pathways resulting in cell cycle arrest. A striking anticancer action of IP(6) was demonstrated in different experimental models. In addition to reducing cell proliferation, IP(6) also induces differentiation of malignant cells. Enhanced immunity and antioxidant properties also contribute to tumor cell destruction. Preliminary studies in humans show that IP(6) and inositol, the precursor molecule of IP(6), appear to enhance the anticancer effect of conventional chemotherapy, control cancer metastases, and improve quality of life. Because it is abundantly present in regular diet, efficiently absorbed from the gastrointestinal tract, and safe, IP(6) + inositol holds great promise in our strategies for cancer prevention and therapy. There is clearly enough evidence to justify the initiation of full-scale clinical trials in humans.
(4) IP6: a novel anti-cancer agent.
Shamsuddin AM, Vucenik I, Cole KE.
Source
University of Maryland School of Medicine, Baltimore 21201-1192, U.S.A.
Abstract
Inositol hexaphosphate (InsP6 or IP6) is ubiquitous. At 10 microM to 1 mM concentrations, IP6 and its lower phosphorylated forms (IP(1-5)) as well as inositol (Ins) are contained in most mammalian cells, wherein they are important in regulating vital cellular functions such as signal transduction, cell proliferation and differentiation. A striking anti-cancer action of IP6 has been demonstrated both in vivo and in vitro, which is based on the hypotheses that exogenously administered IP6 may be internalized, dephosphorylated to IP(1-5), and inhibit cell growth. There is additional evidence that Ins alone may further enhance the anti-cancer effect of IP6. Besides decreasing cellular proliferation, IP6 also causes differentiation of malignant cells often resulting in a reversion to normal phenotype. These data strongly point towards the involvement of signal transduction pathways, cell cycle regulatory genes, differentiation genes, oncogenes and perhaps, tumor suppressor genes in bringing about the observed anti-neoplastic action of IP6.
(5) The impact of curcumin on breast cancer.
Biol (Camb). 2012 Sep;4(9):996-1007. doi: 10.1039/c2ib20088k. Epub 2012 Jul 6.
Nagaraju GP, Aliya S, Zafar SF, Basha R, Diaz R, El-Rayes BF.
Source
Department of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Winship Cancer Institute, Emory University, Atlanta, GA-30322, USA. pganji@emory.edu
Abstract
Curcumin, the active ingredient of turmeric (curry spice), is believed to be associated with reducing the incidence of breast cancers in Asian countries. Anti-cancer efficacy of curcumin and analogs has been tested in pre-clinical studies in some cancer models including breast cancer. These studies reported promising results in inhibiting human cancer cell proliferation and tumorigenesis in animal models. Both in vitro and in vivo studies have shown that curcumin and its analogs target critical genes associated with angiogenesis, apoptosis, cell cycle, and metastasis. The inhibition of human breast cancer cell growth by curcumin is mediated via certain signaling cascades including the modulation of the NF-κB signaling pathway. Epidemiological and experimental data also demonstrated the efficacy of curcumin in chemoprevention and reversing chemo-resistance of tumors of certain cancers. This review summarizes the studies revealing the preventive and therapeutic effects of curcumin and its analogs with an emphasis on multi-targeted biological and molecular effects in a breast cancer model.
(6) Curcumin sensitizes chemotherapeutic drugs via modulation of PKC, telomerase, NF-kappaB and HDAC in breast cancer.
Royt M, Mukherjee S, Sarkar R, Biswas J.
Source
Department of Environmental Carcinogenesis & Toxicology, Chittaranjan National Cancer Institute, 37, S P Mukherjee Road, Kolkata 700 026, India. mitacnci@yahoo.co.in
Abstract
BACKGROUND:
Several tumor markers are overexpressed in breast cancer. Chemotherapy in breast cancer fails due to resistance to chemotherapeutic drugs. A phytochemical such as curcumin can be used in a therapeutic modality as it elicits anti-tumor effects.
METHODS:
Action of curcumin on the expression of several tumor markers, such as protein kinase C, telomerase, NF-kappaB and histone deacetylase in MCF-7 (ER positive), MDA-MB-231 (ER negative), MCF- 12F (control) and also in mice mammary tumors were investigated.
RESULTS:
Curcumin downregulated the expression of tumor markers both in vitro and in vivo and sensitized tumor cells to the chemotherapeutic drugs cyclophosphamide and paclitaxel.
DISCUSSION:
Curcumin may be of considerable value in synergistic therapy of cancer such that the drug dose level could be minimized reducing the associated toxicity.
