Cancer News

By Laura Crowley

Apple pectin and polyphenol-rich apple juice have an anticarcinogenic effect on the colon, encouraging the production of suspected chemopreventative metabolite butyrate, say researchers.

Butyrate is a short chain fatty acid (SCFA) that has been found to be a major factor contributing to healthy colon mucosa.

The study, published in the April issue of Nutrition, looked at human faecal matter fermented with apple constituents and found a significantly increased yield of SCFA, most notably butyrate.

“Butyrate not only serves as a major nutrient for the colon epithelia but is also thought to play an important role in the protective effect of natural fibre against colorectal cancer,” said the German research team, led by Dieter Schrenk.

This is the not the first study to find benefits of fruits in cancer prevention and treatment. A recent study in California found low doses of freeze-dried grape powder could inhibit the development of colorectal cancer thanks to the polyphenol resveratrol and synergistic effects between the grape compounds.

The study

Faecal slurry from healthy individuals was fermented with apple constituents, such as apple pectin and apple juice extracts that were high in polyphenols.

The samples that were fermented with pectin were rich in butyrate and the scientists concluded that this assisted in colon health because of its effect on histone deacetylases (HDAC).

When the butyrate content was high, HDAC was inhibited. With slower production of HDAC, there would be significantly less growth of precancerous and tumour cells.

Fermentations with pectin were very active in HDAC inhibition in nuclear extracts prepared from the colon tumour cell lines HT-29 and Caco-2 and in intact HeLa Mad 38 cells bearing a reporter gene driven by HDAC inhibition.

Faecal slurry fermented with apple juice extracts showed lower butyrate yields but comparable HDAC inhibition.

Combined incubations of pectin with apple juice extracts resulted in effects similar to those with pectin as the only substrate added.

The researchers concluded that butyerate is the most relevant HDAC inhibitor formed in fermentations of human faecal slurry with apple pectin, whereas addition of apple juice extracts leads to the formation of butyrate and other HDAC inhibitors, which are as yet unknown.

The study presents some sound findings to act as a base for further study into colon cancer prevention, which is the third most prolific type of cancer in western industrialised countries, causing 650,000 deaths a year.

Sources

Nutrition
April 2008, 366-374, doi:10.1016/j.nut.2007.12.013
“Histone-deacetylase inhibition and butyrate formation: Fecal slurry incubations with apple pectin and apple juice extracts”
Authors: Markus Waldecker, Tanja Kautenburger, Heike Daumann, Selveraju Veeriah, Frank Will, Helmut Dietrich, Beactrice Louise Pool-Zobel and Dieter Schrenk

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ScienceDaily (Oct. 24, 2008) — The leading cause of death in all cancer patients continues to be the resistance of tumor cells to chemotherapy, a form of treatment in which chemicals are used to kill cells.

Now a study by UC Riverside biochemists that focuses on cancer cells reports that ingesting apigenin – a naturally occurring dietary agent found in vegetables and fruit – improves cancer cells’ response to chemotherapy.

Xuan Liu, a professor of biochemistry, and Xin Cai, a postdoctoral researcher working in her lab, found that apigenin localizes tumor suppressor p53, a protein, in the cell nucleus – a necessary step for killing the cell that results in some tumor cells responding to chemotherapy.

The study, published in the online early edition of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, provides a novel approach to conquer tumor resistance to chemotherapy, and suggests an avenue for developing safe chemotherapy via naturally occurring agents.

Normally, cells have low levels of p53 diffused in their cytoplasm and nucleus. When DNA in the nucleus is damaged, p53 moves to the nucleus where it activates genes that stop cell growth and cause cell death. In this way, p53 ensures that cells with damaged DNA are killed.

In many cancers, p53 is rendered inactive by a process called cytoplasmic sequestration. Apigenin is able to activate p53 and transport it into the nucleus, resulting in a stop to cell growth and cell death.

“In therapy you want to kill cancer cells,” explained Cai, the first author of the research paper. “But to stop cell growth and to kill the cell, p53 first needs to be moved to the cell’s nucleus to function. Apigenin is very effective in localizing p53 this way.”

Apigenin is mainly found in fruit (including apples, cherries, grapes), vegetables (including parsley, artichoke, basil, celery), nuts and plant-derived beverages (including tea and wine). It has been shown by researchers to have growth inhibitory properties in several cancer lines, including breast, colon, skin, thyroid and leukemia cells. It has also been shown to inhibit pancreatic cancer cell proliferation.

“Our study advocates the inclusion of vegetables and fruit in our daily diet to help prevent cancer,” said Liu, the research paper’s coauthor.

The National Institutes of Health supported the five-year study.

Next in their research Liu and Cai plan to design therapies for cancer by finding compounds that are like, but perform better than, apigenin.

Adapted from materials provided by University of California – Riverside

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Source: M. D. Anderson News Release 03/03/08
For most Americans, meals tend to center around meat. To significantly decrease a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer,

experts at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center suggest a new approach to meal planning that focuses more on fruit and vegetable dishes.

According to recent findings issued by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), consuming more than 18 ounces, or a little over a pound, of

red meat (pork, beef, lamb and goat) each week can significantly increase a person’s risks for developing colorectal cancer. In addition, every ounce and

a half of red meat a person eats over 18 ounces increases their risks by 15 percent.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and National Nutrition Month, and nutritionists at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center are encouraging

people to increase portion sizes of the vegetable, fruit, whole grain and/or bean dishes being served and decrease the portion size of meat.

Focus on Fruit and Vegetable Dishes

Instead of asking what goes well with pork chops, ask what goes well with broccoli and sweet potatoes,said Sally Scroggs, senior health education specialist

in M. D. Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center. That way, your serving of meat becomes more of a side dish and not the center of the meal.
Red meat contains substances linked to colon cancer,Scroggs said.For example, some studies suggest that the heme iron (the compound that gives red meat its color)

may increase the risk of developing colon cancer.

AICR recommends that two-thirds of a meal consist of plant-based foods. Consuming less red meat and more plant-based foods can significantly decrease

a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer.

Don’t Eliminate Red Meat

Scroggs emphasizes that these recommendations are not meant to encourage people to completely eliminate red meat from their diet. Consuming red meat in modest amounts is a valuable source of nutrients, including protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. Moderation is the key,Scroggs said.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Americans were eating an average of 36 ounces of red meat every week in 2006, Scroggs said.

Scroggs recommends serving about three ounces (about the size of a deck of cards) of cooked red meat at meals. If you follow this recommended serving size,

you can include red meat in as many as six meals of your weekly diet.

Avoid Processed Meats

AICR also recommends eating very little processed meat (meat preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding chemical preservatives), such as ham, bacon,

hot dogs, sausages, pastrami and salami. Every ounce and a half of processed meat eaten a day is thought to increase a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer by 21 percent.

“A good idea to avoid eating processed meats as much as possible,Scroggs said.”Save that hot dog for special occasions, such as a family cookout or the ballpark.”

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer found in men and women in this country. The American Cancer Society estimates almost 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in the United States for 2008. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among Americans but is considered a highly preventable disease.

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Source: M. D. Anderson News Release 03/03/08
For most Americans, meals tend to center around meat. To significantly decrease a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer,

experts at The University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center suggest a new approach to meal planning that focuses more on fruit and vegetable dishes.

According to recent findings issued by the American Institute for Cancer Research (AICR), consuming more than 18 ounces, or a little over a pound, of

red meat (pork, beef, lamb and goat) each week can significantly increase a person’s risks for developing colorectal cancer. In addition, every ounce and

a half of red meat a person eats over 18 ounces increases their risks by 15 percent.

March is Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month and National Nutrition Month, and nutritionists at M. D. Anderson Cancer Center are encouraging

people to increase portion sizes of the vegetable, fruit, whole grain and/or bean dishes being served and decrease the portion size of meat.

Focus on Fruit and Vegetable Dishes

Instead of asking what goes well with pork chops, ask what goes well with broccoli and sweet potatoes,said Sally Scroggs, senior health education specialist

in M. D. Anderson’s Cancer Prevention Center. That way, your serving of meat becomes more of a side dish and not the center of the meal.
Red meat contains substances linked to colon cancer,Scroggs said.For example, some studies suggest that the heme iron (the compound that gives red meat its color)

may increase the risk of developing colon cancer.

AICR recommends that two-thirds of a meal consist of plant-based foods. Consuming less red meat and more plant-based foods can significantly decrease

a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer.

Don’t Eliminate Red Meat

Scroggs emphasizes that these recommendations are not meant to encourage people to completely eliminate red meat from their diet. Consuming red meat in modest amounts is a valuable source of nutrients, including protein, iron, zinc and vitamin B12. Moderation is the key,Scroggs said.

According to the United States Department of Agriculture, Americans were eating an average of 36 ounces of red meat every week in 2006, Scroggs said.

Scroggs recommends serving about three ounces (about the size of a deck of cards) of cooked red meat at meals. If you follow this recommended serving size,

you can include red meat in as many as six meals of your weekly diet.

Avoid Processed Meats

AICR also recommends eating very little processed meat (meat preserved by smoking, curing, salting or adding chemical preservatives), such as ham, bacon,

hot dogs, sausages, pastrami and salami. Every ounce and a half of processed meat eaten a day is thought to increase a person’s risks of developing colorectal cancer by 21 percent.

“A good idea to avoid eating processed meats as much as possible,Scroggs said.”Save that hot dog for special occasions, such as a family cookout or the ballpark.”

Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer found in men and women in this country. The American Cancer Society estimates almost 150,000 new cases of colorectal cancer in the United States for 2008. Colorectal cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among Americans but is considered a highly preventable disease.

Popularity: 1% [?]

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ScienceDaily (Apr. 18, 2007) — A daily dose of adult-strength aspirin may modestly reduce cancer risk in populations with high rates of colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer if taken for at least five years.

The Women’s Health Study trial recently reported that long-term use of low-dose aspirin (about 100mg every other day) does not reduce a woman’s cancer risk, but it did not examine whether high doses of aspirin have an effect on cancer risk.

Eric Jacobs, Ph.D., of the American Cancer Society in Atlanta, and colleagues looked for associations between long-term daily aspirin use (at least 325mg/day) and cancer incidence in a group of nearly 70,000 men and 76,000 women. Aspirin use was determined by a questionnaire.

During the 12 year follow-up, nearly 18,000 men and women in the study were diagnosed with cancer. The researchers found that daily use of adult-strength aspirin for at least five years was associated with an approximately 15 percent relative reduction in overall cancer risk, though the decrease was not statistically significant in women.

Additionally, aspirin use was associated with a 20 percent reduced risk of prostate cancer and a 30 percent reduced risk of colorectal cancer in men and women, compared to people who didn’t take aspirin. There was no effect on risk in other cancers examined–lung cancer, bladder cancer, melanoma, leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, pancreatic cancer, and kidney cancer. Aspirin use for less than five years was not associated with decreased cancer risk.

“Our results do not have immediate clinical implications. Confirmation from randomized trials is necessary before a reduction in cancer risk could be considered a benefit of using adult-strength aspirin. Our results indicate that a randomized trial examining the effect of aspirin on cancer incidence would need to be both large and long term, probably lasting a minimum of 10 years. More evidence is needed before any such trial can be justified,” the authors write.

Article: Jacobs EJ, Thun MJ, Bain EB, Rodriguez C, Henley SJ, Calle EE. A Large Cohort Study of Long-Term Daily Use of Adult-Strength Aspirin and Cancer Incidence. J Natl Cancer Inst 2007; 99: 608-615

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Fatigue from chemotherapy can range from a mild to extreme feeling of being tired. Many people describe fatigue as feeling weak, weary, worn out, heavy, or slow. Resting does not always help.

Many people say they feel fatigue during chemotherapy and even for weeks or months after treatment is over. Fatigue can be caused by the type of chemotherapy, the effort of making frequent visits to the doctor, or feelings such as stress, anxiety, and depression. If you receive radiation therapy along with chemotherapy, your fatigue may be more severe.

Fatigue can also be caused by

• Anemia
• Pain
• Medications
• Appetite changes
• Trouble sleeping
• Lack of activity
• Trouble breathing
• Infection
• Doing too much at one time
• Other medical problems

Fatigue can happen all at once or little by little. People feel fatigue in different ways. You may feel more or less fatigue than someone else who gets the same type of chemotherapy.

Ways to manage

• Relax. You might want to try meditation, prayer, yoga, guided imagery, visualization, or other ways to relax and decrease stress.
• Eat and drink well. Often, this means 5 to 6 small meals and snacks rather than 3 large meals. Keep foods around that are easy to fix, such as canned soups, frozen meals, yogurt, and cottage cheese. Drink plenty of fluids each day–about 8 cups of water or juice.

Plan time to rest. You may feel better when you rest or take a short nap during the day. Many people say that it helps to rest for just 10 to 15 minutes rather than nap for a long time. If you nap, try to sleep for less than 1 hour. Keeping naps short will help you sleep better at night.

• Be active. Research shows that exercise can ease fatigue and help you sleep better at night. Try going for a 15-minute walk, doing yoga, or riding an exercise bike. Plan to be active when you have the most energy. Talk with your doctor or nurse about ways you can be active while getting chemotherapy.
• Try not to do too much. With fatigue, you may not have enough energy to do all the things you want to do. Choose the activities you want to do and let someone else help with the others. Try quiet activities, such as reading, knitting, or learning a new language on tape.

Sleep at least 8 hours each night. This may be more sleep than you needed before chemotherapy. You are likely to sleep better at night when you are active during the day. You may also find it helpful to relax before going to bed. For instance, you might read a book, work on a jigsaw puzzle, listen to music, or do other quiet hobbies.

• Plan a work schedule that works for you. Fatigue may affect the amount of energy you have for your job. You may feel well enough to work your full schedule. Or you may need to work less–maybe just a few hours a day or a few days each week. If your job allows, you may want to talk with your boss about ways to work from home. Or you may want to go on medical leave (stop working for a while) while getting chemotherapy.
• Let others help. Ask family members and friends to help when you feel fatigue. Perhaps they can help with household chores or drive you to and from doctor’s visits. They might also help by shopping for food and cooking meals for you to eat now or freeze for later.
• Learn from others who have cancer. People who have cancer can help by sharing ways that they manage fatigue. One way to meet others is by joining a support group–either in person or online. Talk with your doctor or nurse to learn more.

• Try not to do too much. With fatigue, you may not have enough energy to do all the things you want to do. Choose the activities you want to do and let someone else help with the others. Try quiet activities, such as reading, knitting, or learning a new language on tape.

• Keep a diary of how you feel each day. This will help you plan how to best use your time. Share your diary with your nurse. Let your doctor or nurse know if you notice changes in your energy level, whether you have lots of energy or are very tired.
• Talk with your doctor or nurse. Your doctor may prescribe medication that can help decrease fatigue, give you a sense of well-being, and increase your appetite. He or she may also suggest treatment if your fatigue is from anemia.

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It turns out Mom was right – you should eat your broccoli. But what Mom may not have known is why broccoli is so healthy, and how its lesser known, younger offshoot may be a powerful anti-cancer agent.

Researchers at the Linus Pauling Institute at Oregon State University have found that sulforaphane – a compound found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, bok choy and brussels sprouts – has strong anti-cancer properties.

Even more promising results have been found in broccoli sprouts. The tiny, thread-like broccoli sprouts sold at stores next to alfalfa sprouts have more than 50 times the amount of sulforaphane than found in mature broccoli.

Emily Ho, a researcher with the Linus Pauling Institute and an assistant professor in the Department of Nutrition and Exercise Sciences at OSU, will describe these dietary inhibitors for cancer prevention at the conference on “Diet and Optimum Health,” organized by the Linus Pauling Institute. The conference will be held May 16-19 at the Hilton Hotel in Portland. Ho will speak at 10:30 a.m. Friday, May 18.

Ho’s main area of research is on the dietary prevention of prostate cancer. The Asian diet could be a key in this prevention. White males born in the United States have dramatically higher rates of prostate cancer than Asian men. But when Asian men live in the U.S. for five years or more, their rates of prostate cancer rise significantly, Ho says.

Past studies in Ho’s lab have focused on dietary elements in cancer prevention such as green tea and soy.

In her new study, which was published in the Journal of the Society of Experimental Biology and Medicine, Ho and her colleagues at Linus Pauling Institute looked at cruciferous vegetables. While many cruciferous vegetables have sulforaphane, broccoli and broccoli sprouts have the highest amount and thus could be a major player in the prevention of prostate and colon cancer.

Ho said drugs classified as histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors are being looked at as potentially preventing cancer. She said their research shows that these same effects of inhibiting HDAC might be obtained by consumption of cruciferous vegetables.

“I would say if you’re at all worried about cancer or at high risk of cancer, especially of prostate or colon cancer, then increasing your dietary intake of broccoli and other vegetables could be a good idea,” Ho said.

“It certainly can’t hurt. And drugs can have negative side effects and be difficult to administer.”

While Ho said the research is not at the point where she can make a specific recommendation on how much broccoli or bok choy to eat, she personally tries to have two servings of cruciferous vegetables a day.

In human subjects, just eating some broccoli sprouts on top of a bagel with cream cheese resulted in HDAC inhibition.

“The compound in broccoli may be one of the strongest anti-cancer fighters we have,” Ho said.

Adapted from materials provided by Oregon State University ScienceDaily (May 18, 2007)

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