Cancer

Vitamin D and cancer. Ali MM, Vaidya V. J Cancer Res Ther. 2007 Oct-Dec;3(4):225-30. Review. PMID: 18270398 DOI: 10.4103/0973-1482.38998

Arginine deprivation as a targeted therapy for cancer. Feun L, You M, Wu CJ, Kuo MT, Wangpaichitr M, Spector S, Savaraj N. Curr Pharm Des. 2008;14(11):1049-57. Review. PMID: 18473854

Arginine and immunity. Popovic PJ, Zeh HJ 3rd, Ochoa JB. J Nutr. 2007 Jun;137(6 Suppl 2):1681S-1686S. Review. PMID: 17513447

Arginine and cancer. Lind DS. J Nutr. 2004 Oct;134(10 Suppl):2837S-2841S; discussion 2853S. Review. PMID: 15465796

There is new research out this morning from South Dakota State University which offers evidence that including flax in the diet may help prevent colorectal tumors or keep tumors from growing as quickly when they do form. Professor C. Dwivedi, head of SDSU's Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences, directed the study. The study was conducted in mice that develop spontaneous intestinal tumors. This strain of mouse is often used as a model by cancer researchers due to this mutation.

Mice injected with cancer cells experienced significantly elevated levels of C-reactive protein, white blood cells, and lipid peroxidation compared with control mice. These levels were reduced in animals that received cisplatin and/or DHA. While treatment with 125 mg/kg DHA inhibited tumor growth by 38 percent compared to untreated animals, 250 mg/kg suppressed tumor growth by 79 percent, which was a greater effect than that of cisplatin alone (which was associated with a 55 percent reduction). The combination of DHA and cisplatin resulted in an 81 percent inhibition of growth, while reducing elevated white blood cell levels (leukocytosis) to normal levels. Treatment with the higher dose of DHA alone was associated with a similar reduction in white blood cells, which, when elevated, are associated with tumor growth. A strong relationship was observed between tumor growth and white blood cell levels as well as C-reactive protein levels. In another experiment with rats treated with cisplatin, the addition of 250 mg/kg DHA prevented lethal kidney toxicity in 88 percent of the animals that received it, while none of the rats that received cisplatin alone survived.

Chemopreventive and renal protective effects for docosahexaenoic acid (DHA): implications of CRP and lipid peroxides. Elmesery ME, Algayyar MM, Salem HA, Darweish MM, El-Mowafy AM. Cell Div. 2009 Apr 2;4(1):6. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19341447 doi:10.1186/1747-1028-4-6

ScienceDaily (Apr. 5, 2009) - Docosahexanoic acid (DHA), an omega-3 fatty acid found in fish oils, has been shown to reduce the size of tumours and enhance the positive effects of the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, while limiting its harmful side effects. The rat experiments provide some support for the plethora of health benefits often ascribed to omega-3 acids.

Nutritional intervention with omega-3 Fatty acids in a case of malignant fibrous histiocytoma of the lungs. Pardini RS, Wilson D, Schiff S, Bajo SA, Pierce R. Nutr Cancer. 2005;52(2):121-9. PMID: 16201843

Opposing effects of n-6 and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on pancreatic cancer growth. Funahashi H, Satake M, Hasan S, Sawai H, Newman RA, Reber HA, Hines OJ, Eibl G. Pancreas. 2008 May;36(4):353-62. PMID: 18437081 doi: 10.1097/MPA.0b013e31815ccc44

Prostate tumor growth and recurrence can be modulated by the omega-6:omega-3 ratio in diet: athymic mouse xenograft model simulating radical prostatectomy. Kelavkar UP, Hutzley J, Dhir R, Kim P, Allen KG, McHugh K. Neoplasia. 2006 Feb;8(2):112-24. PMID: 16611404

Stem cells are cells with the potential to develop into many different types of cells in the body. They serve as a repair system for the body. There are two main types of stem cells: embryonic stem cells and adult stem cells. Doctors and scientists are excited about stem cells because they have potential in many different areas of health and medical research. Studying stem cells may help explain how serious conditions such as birth defects and cancer come about. Stem cells may one day be used to make cells and tissues for therapy of many diseases, including Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, spinal cord injury, heart disease, diabetes and arthritis.

Stem cells are unprogrammed cells in the human body that can be described as "shape shifters." These cells have the ability to change into other types of cells. Stem cells are at the center of a new field of science called regenerative medicine. Because stem cells can become bone, muscle, cartilage and other specialized types of cells, they have the potential to treat many diseases, including Parkinson's, Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer. Eventually, they may also be used to regenerate organs, reducing the need for organ transplants and related surgeries. "Stem cells are like little kids who, when they grow up, can enter a variety of professions," Dr. Marc Hedrick of the UCLA School of Medicine says. "A child might become a fireman, a doctor or a plumber, depending on the influences in their life -- or environment. In the same way, these stem cells can become many tissues by making certain changes in their environment."

A 22-y prospective study of fish intake in relation to prostate cancer incidence and mortality. Chavarro JE, Stampfer MJ, Hall MN, Sesso HD, Ma J. Am J Clin Nutr. 2008 Nov;88(5):1297-303. PMID: 18996866 Conclusion: These results suggest that fish intake is unrelated to prostate cancer incidence but may improve prostate cancer survival.

Meat intake and mortality: a prospective study of over half a million people. Sinha R, Cross AJ, Graubard BI, Leitzmann MF, Schatzkin A. Arch Intern Med. 2009 Mar 23;169(6):562-71. PMID: 19307518 Red and processed meat intakes were associated with modest increases in total mortality, cancer mortality, and cardiovascular disease mortality

Dr Marco Falasca and colleagues have discovered that a natural compound, called inositol pentakisphosphate, which is found in most legumes as well as in wheat bran and nuts, blocks the activity of the enzyme. When they tested its action in mice with ovarian and lung cancer they found it not only blocked tumour growth but also enhanced the effect of other cancer-killing drug

It is well known that eating green vegetables, beans, nuts, cereals and fruits prevents cancer, now it is found that beans and wheat bran contains an enzyme inhibitor Inositol // pentakisphosphate which is found to have anti-cancer effects by blocking the action of enzyme Phosphoinositide 3 kinase.

A collaborative study led by UCL (University College London) shows that the compound - inositol pentakisphosphate - found in beans, nuts and cereals inhibits a key enzyme (phosphoinositide 3-kinase) involved in tumour growth. The findings, published in the latest issue of Cancer Research, suggest that a diet enriched in such foods could help prevent cancer, while the inhibitor offers a new tool for anti-cancer therapy.

Fighting cancer with oncolytic viruses. Chernajovsky Y, Layward L, Lemoine N. BMJ. 2006 Jan 21;332(7534):170-2. Review. . PMID: 16424499