To watch video with sound, click below link:
https://www.msn.com/en-gb/video/health/how-can-you-reduce-your-cancer-risk/vi-AA1tcjd3
Showing posts with label Cancer risk. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cancer risk. Show all posts
Tuesday, 6 May 2025
Commonly prescribed drug could boost cancer survival rate - Statins
One of UK’s most prescribed drugs could reduce death rate of common blood cancer
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| Statin use has been linked to a lower risk of dying from blood cancer (PA) Medicine stock© PA Archive |
- A study has found that statin use is linked to a significantly reduced risk of death in patients with chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL).
- Researchers analysed data from 1,467 patients across four international trials and found that those taking statins had a 61 per cent lower risk of dying from their cancer.
- The study also showed a 38 per cent reduction in all-cause mortality and a 26 per cent reduced risk of disease progression in statin users.
- While the study highlights a strong association, further research is needed to determine if statins directly improve cancer outcomes.
- Future research will involve laboratory studies to understand how statins affect cancer biology and clinical trials to assess the direct impact of statin use on CLL and SLL patients.
One of the most prescribed drugs in the UK could reduce the risk of dying from blood cancer by more than 60 per cent, a study has revealed.
Statin, a cholesterol-lowering medication taken by more than 7 million people in the UK, lowers the risk of heart disease, which can lead to heart attacks or strokes.
But it’s also been suggested that it can reduce the death rates of several cancers, including chronic lymphocytic leukaemia (CLL) and small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), according to a study published today in the journal Blood Advances.
These are both types of slow-growing cancers. CLL starts in the blood-forming cells of the bone marrow and is a common form of leukaemia. SLL affects the same type of cells but starts in lymphoid tissues such as the spleen instead of in the blood-forming cells.
Researchers analysed data from 1,467 patents with CLL or SLL who participated in four international trials conducted between 2012 and 2019.
Each patient was either newly diagnosed, their blood cancer had come back or had not responded to prior treatment.
These trials saw patients randomly assigned ibrutinib, a targeted cancer drug, either alone or in combination with other anti-cancer drugs, or to a drug regimen that did not include ibrutinib.
A total of 424 patients (29 per cent) were taking a statin at the time they started treatment across the four clinical trials, which looked at how long patients lived after starting treatment. They were followed up after five years for overall survival and 22 months for progression-free survival.
Researchers discovered that patients who took a statin had a 61 per cent reduced risk of dying from their cancer, a 38 per cent reduction in death of any cause and a 26 per cent reduced risk of disease progression.
Researchers adjusted their analysis for variables including each patient’s diagnosis, age, sex, weight, disease severity, length of time since their diagnosis, number of co-existing illnesses, use of other medications for heart conditions or high blood pressure, and the specific anti-cancer treatment regimen received.
“Our results highlight a strong link between statin use and improved survival in this patient population,” said the study’s principal investigator, Ahmad Abuhelwa, PhD, an assistant professor of pharmacy practice and pharmacotherapeutics at the University of Sharjah in the United Arab Emirates.
He added: “These findings don’t allow us to say for certain that statins directly improve cancer outcomes.
“However, the fact that this association remained strong even after accounting for multiple factors makes it an important area for future research.”
As next steps, he recommended conducting laboratory studies to better understand how statins may influence cancer biology, as well as prospective clinical trials in which patients with CLL or SLL are randomly assigned to take a statin or not.
One of UK’s most prescribed drugs could reduce death rate of common blood cancer | The Independent
Monday, 27 May 2024
In the News: CoQ10 Linked to Better Liver Enzyme Levels
Ultraprocessed foods boost cancer risk; CoQ10 improves liver enzyme levels; glucosamine reduces risk of vascular dementia; higher B12 levels linked to lower inflammation.
Scientifically reviewed by Amanda Martin, DC, in March 2024.
Eating Ultraprocessed Foods Increases Risk of Cancer and Other Diseases
A review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trials concluded that coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) was significantly associated with better, reduced levels of the liver enzymes: alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST) and gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT).* These enzymes are often elevated in people with liver disorders.
The researchers analyzed the find- ings of 15 randomized, controlled trials that administered CoQ10 and reported changes in liver enzymes.
Participants included a total of 712 men and women with conditions such as coronary heart disease, type I or type II diabetes, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease or elevated lipids.
CoQ10 supplemented participants had beneficial reductions in elevated liver enzymes.
Editor’s Note: Coenzyme Q10 doses ranged from 100 to 400 mg per day consumed for two to 24 weeks.
* Food Sci Nutr. 2023 Jun 7;11(9):4912-4925.
Higher B12 Levels Associated with Less Inflammation
Researchers uncovered a link between higher serum vitamin B12 levels and lower levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) and interleukin-6 (IL-6), which increase during inflammation.*
The study utilized data from a sub- group of 136 participants in the PREDIMED trial who had available data concerning their serum con- centrations of vitamin B12 and CRP, and plasma IL-6. The PREDIMED trial was designed to evaluate the relationship between consuming a Mediterranean diet and cardiovas- cular disease prevention.
Men and women who had higher vitamin B12 levels had lower con- centrations of CRP and IL-6. Similar findings were obtained when the researchers measured these factors in aged mice.
Editor's Note: "Since chronic inflammation is associated with a wide range of diseases, understanding how vitamin B12 status influ- ences inflammation could have significant implications for disease prevention and management," the authors noted.
* J Sci Food Agric. 2024 Jan 30;104(2): 875-882.
Glucosamine May Also be Beneficial Against Vascular Dementia
People with osteoarthritis who used glucosamine, a compound that supports joint health, were also at reduced risk of developing vascu- lar dementia, according to a study published in Alzheimer’s Research and Therapy.*
Participants included 214,945 men and women in the UK Biobank, over the age of 60, who did not have dementia at baseline. Their question- naire responses provided informa- tion concerning regularly consumed nutrients. During a median 12-year follow-up, 1,039 individuals developed vascular dementia, 1,774 developed Alzheimer’s disease and 122 developed frontotemporal dementia.
Habitual use of glucosamine was associated with an 18% lower risk of vascular dementia compared with non-use. People who additionally consumed calcium had a 54% lower risk of vascular dementia than those who did not use glucosamine. No association was observed between glucosamine and the development of Alzheimer’s disease or frontotemporal dementia.
Editor’s Note: “If further confirmed, habitual glucosamine use may act as a dietary supplement for primary prevention of vascular dementia in the elderly,” the authors stated.
* Alzheimers Res Ther. 2023 Sep 9;15(1):152.
Eating Ultraprocessed Foods Increases Risk of Cancer and Other Diseases
Consuming ultraprocessed food increases the risk of cancers of the upper digestive tract, which includes mouth, throat, and esophageal cancers, according to a study published recently in the European Journal of Nutrition1 and reported on by CNN and other news media.
Ultraprocessed foods include soda, chips, instant soups, cookies, ice cream, cereal bars, and many others that include ingredients you wouldn’t use in a regular kitchen.
These additives are designed to resist mold and bacteria and to keep ingredients from separating. They also include bulking and bleaching agents, artificial dyes, or added salt and sugar to make the product more appealing.
Participants included 450,111 adults in the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC) study. They were recruited from 1992 to 1999 from 10 different European countries and the United Kingdom.
Results showed that people who consumed just 10% more ultra- processed foods than others in the study had a:
- 23% higher risk of head and neck cancers, and a
- 24% increased risk of esopha- geal cancer.
These data were collected in the 1990s, when consumption of ultra-processed food was much lower than it is now, and so the link to health risks is even higher today.
Indeed, as of 2019, ultraprocessed food made up approximately 71% of the food supply in the United States.2
Many studies over the past two years have demonstrated the alarm- ing link between ultraprocessed foods and cancer and other serious health problems. Here are a few examples of the findings:
- Men who consume ultraprocessed food have a higher risk of colorectal cancer, heart disease, and early death.3
- For every 10% increase in ultraprocessed food, there is a 2% increase in developing any kind of cancer, and a 19% increased risk of ovarian cancer.4
- Eating higher amounts of ultra- processed animal foods and sweetened beverages increases the risk of having multiple chronic conditions like cancer, diabetes, and heart disease.5
- Consuming more ultraprocessed foods is connected to depression in women.6
- Consuming about 20% of daily calories in ultraprocessed foods is linked to 28% increased risk of dementia.7
In the most recent study, researchers dug deeper to determine if excess weight accounted for the increased cancer risk.
Ultraprocessed foods are calorie dense and can contribute to obesity, and being obese or overweight is connected to an increased risk of 13 different types of cancer.
However, results showed that weight alone did not account for the increased cancer risk. Increased hip-to-weight ratio accounted for 5% of the 23% increased risk of head and neck cancer.
And increased body mass index (BMI) accounted for 13% of the 24% increased risk of esophageal cancer.
This indicates that factors other than obesity contribute to the increased cancer risk.
Editor’s Note: According to a large number of recent studies, ultraprocessed foods are associated with an increased risk of cancer, heart disease, dementia, and more.
References
- Eur J Nutr. 2023 Nov 22.
- Nutrients. 2019 Jul 24;11(8).
- BMJ. 2022;378:e068921.
- EClinicalMedicine. 2023 Feb;56:101840.
- The Lancet Regional Health.2023;0(0):100771.
- JAMA Netw Open. 2023 Sep 5;6(9):e2334770.
- JAMA Neurol. 2023 Feb 1;80(2):142-50.
https://www.lifeextension.com/magazine/2024/3/coq10-linked-to-better-liver-enzyme-levels-in-the-news
Thursday, 17 March 2022
Is Guinness beer really 'good for you'?
Guinness, like other Irish stouts, enjoys a seasonal popularity every St. Patrick's Day. It has also been touted as being "good for you," at least by its own advertising posters decades ago.
But can this creamy, rich and filling beer really be added to a list of healthy beverages? Or is its reputation just good marketing? We researched the beer's history and talked to brewing experts and break out the good, the not-so-great and the ingenuity of Guinness.
By Lisa Drayer, CNN - Yesterday 8:00 PM
The good
The original Guinness is a type of ale known as stout. It's made from a grist (grain) that includes a large amount of roasted barley, which gives it its intense burnt flavor and very dark color. And though you wouldn't rank it as healthful as a vegetable, the stouts in general, as well as other beers, may be justified in at least some of their nutritional bragging rights.
According to Charlie Bamforth, distinguished professor emeritus aof brewing sciences at the University of California, Davis, most beers contain significant amounts of antioxidants, B vitamins, the mineral silicon (which may help protect against osteoporosis), soluble fiber and prebiotics, which promote the growth of "good" bacteria in your gut.
And Guinness may have a slight edge compared with other brews, even over other stouts.
"We showed that Guinness contained the most folate of the imported beers we analyzed," Bamforth said. Folate is a B vitamin that our bodies need to make DNA and other genetic material. It's also necessary for cells to divide. According to his research, stouts on average contain 12.8 micrograms of folate, or 3.2% of the recommended daily allowance.
Because Guinness contains a lot of unmalted barley, which contains more fiber than malted grain, it is also one of the beers with the highest levels of fiber, according to Bamforth. (Note: Though the US Department of Agriculture lists beer as containing zero grams of fiber, Bamforth said his research shows otherwise.)
Bamforth has researched and coauthored studies published in the Journal of the Institute of Brewing and the Journal of the American Society of Brewing Chemists.
Here's more potentially good news about Guinness: Despite its rich flavor and creamy consistency, it's not the highest in calories compared with other beers. A 12-ounce serving of Guinness Draught has 125 calories. By comparison, the same size serving of Budweiser has 145 calories, Heineken has 142 calories, and Samuel Adams Cream Stout has 189 calories. In the United States, Guinness Extra Stout, by the way, has 149 calories.
This makes sense when you consider that alcohol is the main source of calories in beers. Guinness Draught has a lower alcohol content, at 4.2% alcohol by volume, compared with 5% for Budweiser and Heineken, and 4.9% for the Samuel Adams Cream Stout.
In general, moderate alcohol consumption -- defined by the USDA's dietary guidelines for Americans as no more than two drinks per day for men or one drink per day for women -- may protect against heart disease. So you can check off another box.
The not-so-great
Guinness is still alcohol, and consuming too much can impair judgment and contribute to weight gain. Heavy drinking (considered more than 14 drinks a week for men or more than seven drinks a week for women) and binge drinking (five or more drinks for men, and four or more for women, in about a two-hour period) are also associated with many health problems, including liver disease, pancreatitis and high blood pressure.
According to the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence, "alcohol is the most commonly used addictive substance in the United States: 17.6 million people, or one in every 12 adults, suffer from alcohol abuse or dependence along with several million more who engage in risky, binge drinking patterns that could lead to alcohol problems."
And while moderate consumption of alcohol may have heart benefits for some, consumption of alcohol can also increase a woman's risk of breast cancer for each drink consumed daily.
Many decades ago, in Irelahttps://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/is-guinness-beer-really-good-for-you/ar-BB1eG7R4nd, it would not have been uncommon for a doctor to advise pregnant and nursing women to drink Guinness. But today, experts (particularly in the United States) caution of the dangers associated with consuming any alcohol while pregnant.
"Alcohol is a teratogen, which is something that causes birth defects. It can cause damage to the fetal brain and other organ systems," said Dr. Erin Tracy, an OB/GYN at Massachusetts General Hospital and Harvard Medical School associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive gynecology. "We don't know of any safe dose of alcohol in pregnancy. Hence we recommend abstaining entirely during this brief period of time in a woman's life."
What about beer for breastfeeding? "In Britain, they have it in the culture that drinking Guinness is good for nursing mothers," said Karl Siebert, professor emeritus of the food science department and previous director of the brewing program at Cornell University.
Beer in general has been regarded as a galactagogue, or stimulant of lactation, for much of history. In fact, according to irishtimes.com, breastfeeding women in Ireland were once given a bottle of Guinness a day in maternity hospitals.
According to Domhnall Marnell, the Guinness ambassador, Guinness Original (also known as Guinness Extra Stout, depending on where it was sold) debuted in 1821, and for a time, it contained live yeast, which had a high iron content, so it was given to anemic individuals or nursing mothers then, before the effects of alcohol were fully understood.
Some studies have showed evidence that ingredients in beer can increase prolactin, a hormone necessary for milk production; others have showed the opposite. Regardless of the conclusions, the alcohol in beer also appears to counter the benefits associated with increased prolactin secretion.
"The problem is that alcohol temporarily inhibits the milk ejection reflex and overall milk supply, especially when ingested in large amounts, and chronic alcohol use lowers milk supply permanently," said Diana West, coauthor of "The Breastfeeding Mother's Guide to Making More Milk."
"Barley can be eaten directly, or even made from commercial barley drinks, which would be less problematic than drinking beer," West said.
If you're still not convinced that beer is detrimental to breastfeeding, consider this fact: A nursing mother drinking any type of alcohol puts her baby in potential danger. "The fetal brain is still developing after birth -- and since alcohol passes into breast milk, the baby is still at risk," Tracy said.
"This is something we would not advocate today," Marnell agreed. "We would not recommend to anyone who is pregnant or breastfeeding to be enjoying our products during this time in their life."
Regarding the old wives' tale about beer's effects on breastfeeding, Marnell added, "It's not something that Guinness has perpetuated ... and if (people are still saying it), I'd like to say once and for all, it's not something we support or recommend."
The ingenuity
Assuming you are healthy and have the green light to drink beer, you might wonder why Guinness feels like you've consumed a meal, despite its lower calorie and alcohol content.
It has to do with the sophistication that goes into producing and pouring Guinness. According to Bamforth, for more than half a century, Guinness has put nitrogen gas into its beer at the packaging stage, which gives smaller, more stable bubbles and delivers a more luscious mouthfeel. It also tempers the harsh burnt character coming from the roasted barley. Guinness cans, containing a widget to control the pour, also have some nitrogen.
Guinness is also dispensed through a special tap that uses a mixture of carbon dioxide and nitrogen. "In Ireland, Guinness had a long history of hiring the best and brightest university graduates regardless of what they were trained in," Siebert said. "And they put them to work on things they needed. One was a special tap for dispensing Guinness, which has 11 different nozzles in it, that helps to form the fine-bubbled foam."
The foam is remarkably long-lasting. "After you get a freshly poured Guinness, you can make a face in the foam, and by the time you finish drinking it, the face is still there," Siebert said.
'It's a good day for a Guinness,' unless you're pregnant
The famous advertising Guinness slogans -- including "It's a good day for a Guinness" -- started through word of mouth, said Marnell. "In 1929, when we were about to do our first ad, we asked (ourselves), 'What stance should we take?' So we sent around a group of marketers (in Ireland and the UK) to ask Guinness drinkers why they chose Guinness, and nine out of 10 said their belief was that the beer was healthy for them. We already had this reputation in the bars before we uttered a word about the beer.
"That led to the Gilroy ads that were posted," Marnell explained, referring to the artist John Gilroy, responsible for the Guinness ads from 1928 to the 1960s. "You'll see the characters representing the Guinness brand -- the toucan, the pelican -- and slogans like 'Guinness is good for you' or 'Guinness for Strength.' But those were from the 1920s, '30s and '40s."
Today, he said, the company would not claim any health benefits for its beer. "If anyone is under the impression that there are health benefits to drinking Guinness, then unfortunately, I'm the bearer of bad news. Guinness is not going to build muscle or cure you of influenza."
In fact, Guinness' parent company, Diageo, spends a lot of effort supporting responsible drinking initiatives and educating consumers about alcohol's effects. Its DrinkIQ page offers information such as calories in alcohol, how your body processes it and when alcohol can be dangerous, including during pregnancy.
"One of the main things we focus on ... is that while we would love people to enjoy our beer, we want to make sure they do so as responsibly as possible," Marnell said. "We would never recommend that anyone drink to excess, and (we want to make people) aware of how alcohol effects the body."
And again: Most health providers in the US would advise forgoing all alcohol if you are pregnant, nursing or have other health or medical issues where alcohol consumption is not advised.
So responsibly celebrate St. Patrick this year a little wiser about the health benefits and risks with one of its signature potables.
This story originally published in 2017.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/is-guinness-beer-really-good-for-you/ar-BB1eG7R4
Everyone Has Been Drinking Guinness Wrong, Including Guinness
...But it's still as insanely drinkable as ever.
Tilt a twenty-ounce tulip pint 45 degrees, let the 6°C draught beer flow down the glass's side until filled three-quarters of the way to the harp logo, then let that settle for 86 seconds before topping it off. Exactly 119.53 seconds later, you have a perfect pint.
No beer is presented with more ceremony and rules than Guinness. Diageo, one of the world's most prominent alcoholic beverage conglomerates, calls that the "Guinness Experience." Crusty Irishmen call that the "proper" way to serve a Guinness. I call that, a brilliant marketing scam and waste of valuable drinking time.
With St. Patrick's Day on Tuesday, and thirteen million Guinness pints about to be consumed in a single day, I think it's finally time to admit the Guinness pour is unnecessary, no matter what they've had us believe over the 255 years of their existence.
Guinness is a fine enough dry stout, something even most beer geeks will readily admit. It's surely one of the most gorgeous beers around, with that deceptively dark ruby red body topped by a creamy mocha dome of a head. Its taste is a little less remarkable in this era of big, bold imperial stouts, but still, it's roasty, creamy, and insanely drinkable. Hardly motor oil thick like neophyte drinkers seem to believe, it's the "lite" beer that doesn't need to brag about it, at only 125 calories per twelve ounces. On those increasingly rare nights nowadays when I find myself drinking pints well into the double digits, it's often Guinness I'm throwing back.
Still, there are countless beers in this world and no others have the gall to claim that six steps—six steps—are necessary to get their liquid from a keg into your glass. Watch this two-minute pouring tutorial video on Guinness'swebsite. It seems like satire. I've watched YouTube videos on how to hit a golfball out of a pot bunker or tie a bow tie that are briefer. But, you say, the pour has to be special because Guinness is special. Even that's hardly true any more.
Guinness is exclusively served on nitrogen, meaning it is pressurized in the keg with a nitrogen/carbon dioxide mix (at a ratio of 75% to 25%) as opposed to being strictly carbonated like most beers. Unquestionably, nitrogen taps pour differently that standard lines, coming out rich and velvety and, indeed, taking a little while to settle. But not that long.
Guinness's two-part-pour myth-making might have worked back in the days when few beers were available as nitrogen pours. But, nowadays, countless beers are available "on nitro," with most bars devoting a line or two to special faucets which help further facilitate a nitrogen beer's correct flow. Nitrogen beers have long been the domain of stouts like Guinness, but as of late I've seen unexpected offerings like Left Hand's Sawtooth ESB and Founders Centennial IPA pop up on nitro. Literally the best beer I drank in all of 2013 was a milky double IPA on nitro, Alpine's Bad Boy. Yet my bartender managed to get all those other nitro beers in front of me a lot quicker than a completely arbitrary 119.53 seconds (not that I was timing on my chronograph).
Kyle Kensrue has heard all the myths about Guinness as well. A certified cicerone (essentially a sommelier for beer) and the beer director at New York's Randolph Beer, he told me: "They say that by taking your time and pouring Guinness in increments, you are able to let the beer cascade after each pour, making it more dense and creamy. I've never actually tried to pour in increments, but the science makes sense to me." Although, he also noted, "You could do it with any nitro beer theoretically."
I decided I should just test it out myself. I went to an Irish pub in midtown during off-hours and gave the bartender an odd request: a "proper" 119.53-second Guinness and one Guinness pulled like he'd pull a Bud Light. I asked him to serve them to me blindly and side-by-side, but that ultimately didn't matter. It was self-evident which was the properly-poured Guinness as its head was noticeably thicker compared to the quickly-poured pint which was bubbly and frothy. Still, aside from a slightly less creamy mouthfeel, the taste was the same and I doubt anything but the most discerning palate would have noticed a difference. The old cuss behind the bar was so surprised by my findings he did the same test himself, begrudgingly—but not quotably—admitting they tasted "about the same."
Sure, patience is a virtue. And, in this increasingly faster and faster modern world, there's nothing wrong with waiting for something quality to be crafted before your very eyes. I'm guilty myself of enjoying the "experience" of watching a hipster mixologist in a tight vest take a good fifteen minutes to carve a flawless ice square, meticulously measure and stir it, then delicately express a swath of orange peel just to make a simple Negroni. So maybe that's the way Guinness is for you, a pint of placebo, an evocative ale that takes you to a special place while you relax those 119.53 seconds. People like ceremony in their life, and well, if it can happen at the bar simply by handing over five or six bucks, I suppose that's all the better. But, at the least, it's time to finally admit you could get that same Guinness with about 60 seconds less foreplay.
Even brewmaster Fergal Murray admitted as much a few years back in Esquire, "It is a ritual. It's theater. It's about creating an experience." That experience might be pleasant for you, but for me, especially if I were going to be in a crowded bar on St. Patrick's Day (I won't), it's an experience of, "Couldja get me my beer before I order something else that doesn't have so many stupid pouring rules?!"
Aaron Goldfarb (@aarongoldfarb) is the author of The Guide for a Single Man and The Guide for a Single Woman.
https://www.esquire.com/food-drink/drinks/a33655/how-to-do-the-guinness-pour-problem/
Thursday, 11 November 2021
Cancer: Fatty Acid Found In Palm Oil May Increase Risk Of Skin And Mouth Cancer
A study has found that when palmitic acid was supplemented into the diet of mice, mouth and skin cancers were more likely to spread. Palmitic acid, or palm oil has remained a controversial substance however this latest study shines a light on how it could be one of the main causes for the increase in cancer diagnosis seen of late.
Metastasis – or the spread – of cancer remains the main cause of death in cancer patients and the vast majority of people with metastatic cancer can only be treated, but not cured.
As most are aware, food can have a major impact on cancer with fatty acids being the building blocks of fat in the body.
Unfortunately, metastasis is often promoted by fatty acids in one’s diet further warning what you put in your mouth can have a devastating health impact.
Newly published findings, led by researchers at IRB Barcelona, Spain, reveal that one such fatty acid commonly found in palm oil, called palmitic acid, promotes metastasis in oral carcinomas and melanoma skin cancer in mice.
“There is something very special about palmitic acid that makes it an extremely potent promoter of metastasis,” said Prof Salvador Aznar-Benitah, of the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona.
“I think it is too early to determine which type of diet could be consumed by patients with metastatic cancer that would slow down the metastatic process.”
The study suggested that exposure to palmitic acid caused changes to the function of genes in cancer cells that allowed them to sense fatty acids and consume them more efficiently.
The presence of palmitic acid also appeared to send cancer cells into a “regenerative state” allowing them to form signalling networks beyond the tumour, which is known to be a crucial step towards spreading.
Prof Greg Hannon, director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said: “This is a rigorous and comprehensive study that suggests that exposure to a major constituent of palm oil durably changes the behaviour of cancer cells, making them more prone to progress from local to potentially lethal metastatic disease.
“Given the prevalence of palm oil as an ingredient in processed foods, this study provides strong motivation for further study on how dietary choices influence the risk of tumour progression.”
Helen Rippon, chief executive at Worldwide Cancer Research, added: “This discovery is a huge breakthrough in our understanding of how diet and cancer are linked and, perhaps more importantly, how we can use this knowledge to start new cures for cancer.
Metastasis is estimated to be responsible for 90 percent of all cancer deaths – that’s around nine million deaths a year globally.
“Learning more about what makes cancer spread and – importantly – how to stop it is the way forward to reduce these numbers.”
Wednesday, 10 November 2021
Fatty acid found in palm oil linked to spread of cancer
Study on mice found palmitic acid promoted metastasis in mouth and skin cancers
Hannah Devlin Science correspondent
Wed 10 Nov 2021 17.31 GMT
Scientists have shown how a fatty acid found in palm oil can encourage the spread of cancer, in work that could pave the way for new treatments.
The study, on mice, found that palmitic acid promoted metastasis in mouth and skin cancers. In future, this process could be targeted with drugs or carefully designed eating plans, but the team behind the work cautioned against patients putting themselves on diets in the absence of clinical trials.
“There is something very special about palmitic acid that makes it an extremely potent promoter of metastasis,” said Prof Salvador Aznar-Benitah, of the Institute for Research in Biomedicine (IRB), Barcelona. “I think it is too early to determine which type of diet could be consumed by patients with metastatic cancer that would slow down the metastatic process.”
The study adds to emerging evidence that diet can be used to enhance existing cancer treatments because certain nutrients are disproportionately relied on by tumour cells, or are required at critical stages such as metastasis.
The study built on previous work by the same team showing that, within a tumour, just a small subset of cells have the capacity to spread by travelling out of the tumour, reaching other organs and colonising them. These specialised cancer cells appeared to rely particularly heavily on fatty acids and the latest work narrowed this down to palmitic acid, which is found in palm oil – but also in a wide variety of foods such as butter and olive oil.
The study, published in Nature, found that when palmitic acid was supplemented into the diet of mice, mouth and skin cancers were more likely to spread. Other fatty acids called oleic acid and linoleic acid – omega-9 and omega-6 fats found in foods such as olive oil and flaxseeds – did not show the same effect. Neither of the fatty acids tested increased the risk of developing cancer in the first place.
The study suggested that exposure to palmitic acid caused changes to the function of genes in cancer cells that allowed them to sense fatty acids and consume them more efficiently. The presence of palmitic acid also appeared to send cancer cells into a “regenerative state” allowing them to form signalling networks beyond the tumour, which is known to be a crucial step towards spreading.
Metastasis of cancer remains the main cause of death in cancer patients and the vast majority of people with metastatic cancer can only be treated, but not cured.
By understanding what cancer cells need to make this leap, the scientists also identified ways to block the process and are planning a clinical trial of proteins that interfere with the tumour response to palmitic acid.
“That is a much more realistic approach in terms of a real therapy, that doesn’t depend on whether a patient likes Nutella or pizza,” said Aznar-Benitah. “Playing with diets is so complicated.”
Prof Greg Hannon, director of the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute, said: “This is a rigorous and comprehensive study that suggests that exposure to a major constituent of palm oil durably changes the behaviour of cancer cells, making them more prone to progress from local to potentially lethal metastatic disease. Given the prevalence of palm oil as an ingredient in processed foods, this study provides strong motivation for further study on how dietary choices influence the risk of tumour progression.”
Helen Rippon, chief executive at Worldwide Cancer Research, said: “This discovery is a huge breakthrough in our understanding of how diet and cancer are linked and, perhaps more importantly, how we can use this knowledge to start new cures for cancer. Metastasis is estimated to be responsible for 90% of all cancer deaths – that’s around 9 million deaths a year globally. Learning more about what makes cancer spread and – importantly – how to stop it is the way forward to reduce these numbers.”
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