Cancer

"Berberine is a quaternary ammonium salt from the group of isoquinoline alkaloids. It is found in such plants as Berberis, goldenseal (Hydrastis canadensis), and Coptis chinensis, usually in the roots, rhizomes, stems, and bark. Berberine is strongly yellow colored, which is why in earlier times berberis species were used to dye wool, leather and wood. Wool is still today dyed with berberine in Northern India Berberine (BBR) is a natural compound with up-regulating activity on both low-density-lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) and insulin receptor (InsR). This one-drug-multiple-target characteristic might be suitable for the treatment of metabolic syndrome.[12] Berberine has been tested and used successfully in experimental[13] and human diabetes mellitus.[14][15][16] Berberine has been shown to lower elevated blood glucose as effectively as metformin.[17] The mechanisms include inhibition of aldose reductase,[18] inducing glycolysis,[19] preventing insulin resistance[20] through increasing insulin receptor expression[14] and acting like incretins. Berberine has drawn extensive attention towards its antineoplastic effects.[43][44] It seems to suppress the growth of a wide variety of tumor cells including breast cancer,[45] leukemia, melanoma,[46] epidermoid carcinoma, hepatoma, oral carcinoma, tongue carcinoma,[47] glioblastoma, prostate carcinoma, gastric carcinoma.[48][49] Animal studies have shown that berberine can suppress chemical-induced carcinogenesis, tumor promotion, tumor invasion,[50][51][52][53][54] prostate cancer,[55][56][57][58] neuroblastoma,[59][60] and leukemia.[34][61] It is a radiosensitzer of tumor cells but not of normal cells

A systematic review of the anticancer properties of berberine, a natural product from Chinese herbs. Sun Y, Xun K, Wang Y, Chen X. Anticancer Drugs. 2009 Oct;20(9):757-69. PMID: 19704371

Berberine and Coptidis rhizoma as novel antineoplastic agents: a review of traditional use and biomedical investigations. Tang J, Feng Y, Tsao S, Wang N, Curtain R, Wang Y. J Ethnopharmacol. 2009 Oct 29;126(1):5-17. Epub 2009 Aug 15. PMID: 19686830 doi:10.1016/j.jep.2009.08.009 Conclusions The modern evidences of treating cancer with Huanglian and berberine have a strong linkage with traditional concept and rules of using Huanglian in CM practice. As anticancer candidates with low toxicity, berberine and its altered structure, as well as Huanglian and its formulae, will attract scientists to pursue the potential anticancer effects and the mechanisms by using technologies of genomics, proteomics and other advanced approaches. On the other hand, relatively few in vivo studies have been conducted on anticancer effects of Huanglian and berberine. The clinical application of berberine or Huanglian as novel cancer therapeutic agents requires in vivo validations and further investigations of their anticancer mechanisms.

A phase 2 trial exploring the effects of high-dose (10,000 IU/day) vitamin D(3) in breast cancer patients with bone metastases. Amir E, Simmons CE, Freedman OC, Dranitsaris G, Cole DE, Vieth R, Ooi WS, Clemons M. Cancer. 2009 Nov 13. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19918922 DOI: 10.1002/cncr.24749 METHODS: Patients with bone metastases treated with bisphosphonates were enrolled into this single-arm phase 2 study. Patients received 10,000 IU of vitamin D3 and 1000 mg of calcium supplementation each day for 4 months. The effect of this treatment on palliation, bone resorption markers, calcium metabolism, and toxicity were evaluated at baseline and monthly thereafter. CONCLUSIONS: Daily doses of 10,000 IU vitamin D3 for 4 months appear safe in patients without comorbid conditions causing hypersensitivity to vitamin D. Treatment reduced inappropriately elevated parathyroid hormone levels, presumably caused by long-term bisphosphonate use. There did not appear to be a significant palliative benefit nor any significant change in bone resorption. Cancer 2010. © 2009 American Cancer Society.

Inverse association between serum 25(OH) vitamin D levels and non-melanoma skin cancer in elderly men. Tang JY, Parimi N, Wu A, John Boscardin W, Shikany JM, Chren MM, Cummings SR, Epstein EH Jr, Bauer DC; for the Osteoporotic Fractures in Men (MrOS) Study Group. Cancer Causes Control. 2009 Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19921445 Our results suggest that a diagnosis of NMSC is not a surrogate for adequate 25(OH)D levels or increased UV exposure, and high 25(OH)D levels may be associated with a reduced risk of NMSC.

Meta-analysis of vitamin D, calcium and the prevention of breast cancer. Chen P, Hu P, Xie D, Qin Y, Wang F, Wang H. Breast Cancer Res Treat. 2009 Oct 23. [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19851861 These results provide strong evidence that vitamin D and calcium have a chemopreventive effect against breast cancer.

"ScienceDaily (Oct. 8, 2009) - Women with breast cancer should be given high doses of vitamin D because a majority of them are likely to have low levels of vitamin D, which could contribute to decreased bone mass and greater risk of fractures, according to scientists at the University of Rochester Medical Center." Scientists funded by the NCI analyzed vitamin D levels in each woman, and the average level was 27 nanograms per milliliter; more than two-thirds of the women had vitamin deficiency. Weekly supplementation with high doses of vitamin D -- 50,000 international units or more -- improved the levels, according to Peppone's study. The U.S. Institute of Medicine suggests that blood levels nearing 32 nanograms per milliliter are adequate.

Modulation of prostate cancer genetic risk by omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Berquin IM, Min Y, Wu R, Wu J, Perry D, Cline JM, Thomas MJ, Thornburg T, Kulik G, Smith A, Edwards IJ, D'Agostino R, Zhang H, Wu H, Kang JX, Chen YQ. J Clin Invest. 2007 Jul;117(7):1866-75. PMID: 17607361 Our data suggest that modulation of prostate cancer development by polyunsaturated fatty acids is mediated in part through Bad-dependent apoptosis. This study highlights the importance of gene-diet interactions in prostate cancer.

Israeli 'cancer shift' over heart disease mortality may be led by greater risk in women with high intake of n-6 fatty acids. Shapira N. Eur J Cancer Prev. 2007 Oct;16(5):486-94. PMID: 17923822 doi: 10.1097/CEJ.0b013e3280145b6d Population studies of Israeli Jews, Arabs, and women support the association of high n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid intake with increased cancer risk and higher female sensitivity. Research findings suggest that gender and sex hormones may influence n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid metabolism and carcinogenesis. This appears to be the first time gender has been proposed to modulate national cancer epidemiology, suggesting implications for differential nutritional prevention, warranting further research.

"SCIENTISTS have shown that a new class of cancer drugs called PARP inhibitors, currently being tested in clinical trials to treat breast and ovarian cancer could have dramatic results when used to treat other solid tumours, according to work presented at the NCRI Cancer Conference today. "

Factors associated with clinical benefit from epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors in recurrent and metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck. Cohen EE, Halpern AB, Kasza K, Kocherginsky M, Williams R, Vokes EE. Oral Oncol. 2009 Oct;45(10):e155-60. Epub 2009 Jul 7. PMID: 19586795

Relationship between low ultraviolet B irradiance and higher breast cancer risk in 107 countries. Mohr SB, Garland CF, Gorham ED, Grant WB, Garland FC. Breast J. 2008 May-Jun;14(3):255-60. Epub 2008 Apr 17. PMID: 18422861 DOI: 10.1111/j.1524-4741.2008.00571.x There was a protective effect of UVB irradiance on risk of breast cancer that was independent of fertility rate, proportion of the population overweight, alcohol intake, animal energy intake, and other covariates.

Vitamin D for cancer prevention: global perspective. Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB, Garland FC. Ann Epidemiol. 2009 Jul;19(7):468-83. Review. PMID: 19523595 RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: It is projected that raising the minimum year-around serum 25(OH)D level to 40 to 60 ng/mL (100-150 nmol/L) would prevent approximately 58,000 new cases of breast cancer and 49,000 new cases of colorectal cancer each year, and three fourths of deaths from these diseases in the United States and Canada, based on observational studies combined with a randomized trial. Such intakes also are expected to reduce case-fatality rates of patients who have breast, colorectal, or prostate cancer by half. There are no unreasonable risks from intake of 2000 IU per day of vitamin D(3), or from a population serum 25(OH)D level of 40 to 60 ng/mL. The time has arrived for nationally coordinated action to substantially increase intake of vitamin D and calcium.

Vitamin D and prevention of breast cancer: pooled analysis. Garland CF, Gorham ED, Mohr SB, Grant WB, Giovannucci EL, Lipkin M, Newmark H, Holick MF, Garland FC. J Steroid Biochem Mol Biol. 2007 Mar;103(3-5):708-11. PMID: 17368188 CONCLUSIONS: Intake of 2000 IU/day of Vitamin D(3), and, when possible, very moderate exposure to sunlight, could raise serum 25(OH)D to 52 ng/ml, a level associated with reduction by 50% in incidence of breast cancer, according to observational studies.

"A study conducted by Cedric Garland and other prominent vitamin D researchers determined that women with vitamin D levels above 52 ng/ml have half the risk of developing breast cancer as those with 13 ng/ml! Garland (et al) estimates that 58,000 new cases of breast cancer in the U.S. could be prevented per year by raising vitamin D levels to 52 ng/ml. Imagine what the global impact could be! "

How to optimize vitamin D supplementation to prevent cancer, based on cellular adaptation and hydroxylase enzymology. Vieth R. Anticancer Res. 2009 Sep;29(9):3675-84. Review. PMID: 19667164

ncident invasive breast cancer, geographic location of residence, and reported average time spent outside. Millen AE, Pettinger M, Freudenheim JL, Langer RD, Rosenberg CA, Mossavar-Rahmani Y, Duffy CM, Lane DS, McTiernan A, Kuller LH, Lopez AM, Wactawski-Wende J. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev. 2009 Feb;18(2):495-507. Epub 2009 Feb 3. PMID: 19190147 doi: 10.1158/1055-9965.EPI-08-0652 In conclusion, region of residence and geographic solar irradiance are not consistently related to risk of breast cancer and may not be sufficient proxy measures for sunlight/vitamin D exposure. The observed association between time spent outside and breast cancer risk support the hypothesis that vitamin D may protect against breast cancer.

The relevance of vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms for cancer: a review of the literature. Köstner K, Denzer N, Müller CS, Klein R, Tilgen W, Reichrath J. Anticancer Res. 2009 Sep;29(9):3511-36. Review. PMID: 19667145 CONCLUSION: Significant associations with VDR polymorphisms have been reported in cancer of the breast (Fok1, Bsm1, Taq1, Apa1, poly (A)), prostate (Fok1, Bsm1, Taq1, poly (A)), skin (Fok1, Bsm1, A-1210), colorectum (Fok1, Bsm1), ovary (Fok1, Apa1) and bladder (Fok1), and in renal cell carcinoma (Taq1, Apa1). However, conflicting data have been reported for most malignancies. After careful evaluation of the actual literature, it can be summarized that data indicating an association of VDR polymorphisms and cancer risk are strongest for breast cancer (Bsm1, Fok1), prostate cancer (Fok1) and malignant melanoma (MM) (Fok1). Data indicating an association of VDR polymorphisms and cancer prognosis are strongest for prostate cancer (Fok1), breast cancer (Bsm1, Taq1), MM (Bsm1) and renal cell carcinoma (Taq1).

A multicountry ecologic study of risk and risk reduction factors for prostate cancer mortality. Grant WB. Eur Urol. 2004 Mar;45(3):271-9. PMID: 15036670 CONCLUSIONS: These results are consistent with insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), being an important risk factor for prostate cancer, with alcohol and calcium being less important risk factors, and with allium family vegetables, and, to a lesser extent, vitamin D being important risk reduction factors. These results should provide guidance for additional studies on dietary and environmental links to prostate cancer.