Could Eating Spicy Aid in the Prevention of Cancer?

Wow, as a two time survivor of cancer I found it amazing that I might be able to eat my self free of cancer. Well, that is an over statement but new research is showing that Curcumin to have strong cancer fighting properties. Curcumin also called turmeric is the compound that gives curry its yellow tint. Curcumin has long been known for its antioxidant properties and is being studied now for it benefits in treating several different diseases. Cancer researchers have taken an interest in Curcumin because many countries with curry-rich cuisines have lower cancer rates than Western countries have.

Researchers from the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center found Curcumin, blocks a key biological pathway needed for development of melanoma and other cancers. The study was published in the August 15, 2005 issue of the American Cancer Society journal "Cancer". The study tested varying doses of Curcumin on three melanoma cell lines. It showed that Curcumin stops laboratory strains of melanoma from proliferating and induced apoptosis (programmed cell suicide). The results were the same for high concentrations of Curcumin over short periods of time and smaller doses over longer periods of time.

In a study published in 2002 in "Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention", researcher gave three groups of mice different amounts of Curcumin extract for 15 weeks. The results showed that the group of mice given the largest amount of Curcumin found a reduction of 40 percent in benign tumors that were caused the same gene that causes mot types of colon cancer. A similar study was published in "The Prostate" in 2001. Again three groups of mice were used. All three were injected with human prostate cancer cells. One group was a placebo group that received no treatment. One group was given Curcumin when injected with the cancer cells. The other group was given Curcumin two weeks after the cancer injection. After 6 weeks the tumors in the two groups give Curcumin were to percent smaller than in the placebo groups.

A study on Curcumin and breast cancer was published in Cancer Research, Vol. 62, July 1, 2002, pp. 3868-75. This study found that the use of Curcumin was as effective in preventing the spread of breast cancer as Taxol in laboratory mice. In the study mice were induced with breast cancer then the tumors were removed such as with a mastectomy in humans. Then the mice were divided into 4 groups. One was a placebo group, one received Curcumin, one received Taxol, and the other Curcumin and Taxol. After 5 weeks the study showed that half the mice in the Curcumin group had the cancer spread to the lungs. Only 22 percent of those in the Curcumin plus Taxol group had seen the cancer spread. 75 percent of the Taxol only group saw the cancer spread. The placebo group saw 95 percent of the mice had the cancer spread to the lungs. These were amazing results.

Human studies are just beginning. But the early signs are that the simple safe spice may offer a safe way of preventing cancer and may also be a great way of aiding in the treatment of Cancer.

It should be noted that a culture study showed that Curcumin reduced the effects of several chemo drugs used for treating cancer.Rusty Ford
Editor
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