Research: Curcumin Is A Triple Negative Breast Cancer Killer

Research: Curcumin Is A Triple Negative Breast Cancer Killer







Sayer Ji, Contributor
Activist Post

A new study from Zheijian Provincial People's Hospital in Zheijiang, China indicates that a compound in turmeric known as curcumin,
which gives the spice its characteristic saffron-like color, is capable
of inducing programmed cell death (apoptosis) within triple negative
breast cancer cells.1

Triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), so named because the cells do not
have the characteristic receptors for estrogen, progesterone and
Her2/neu, is considered the most treatment resistant, primarily because
these 'missing receptors' are required for many of the most popular
conventional treatments to work, e.g. Tamoxifen targets estrogen receptors.

For this reason, TNBC is considered the most aggressive, the most likely
to be treated with less-targeted (and therefore more toxic) forms of
chemotherapy, and the soonest to return when treatment fails.

Approximately 15-25% of all breast cancer cases are
triple negative. Unfortunately, however, the most visible non-profit
foundation dedicated to bringing awareness to the condition, the Triple Negative Breast Cancer Foundation,
is focused almost exclusively on raising awareness and money for a
future pharmaceutical "cure" – much in the same way as its partner,
Susan G. Komen, and the larger breast cancer awareness organization,
Breast Cancer Awareness Month, act as if removing and addressing the
obvious causes of cancer, e.g. carcinogenic chemical and radiation
exposures, were not the first priority. For those suffering through or
recovering from treatment right now, or trying to decide what to do with
a new diagnosis, this latest Chinese study is promising.

Detractors, of course, point out that this latest curcumin research
occurred on the level of a cell study, which in the pyramidal power
structure of "evidence-based medicine," where the randomized,
double-blind and placebo-controlled human clinical study is the sole
determinant of the ultimate truth, is the most insignificant, and least
compelling as far informing treatment decisions.

This view, however, is rather naive, insofar the criteria for
determining a substance's potential for future use as an FDA drug is not
its effectiveness, safety or availability to those in need, rather, how
proprietary and profitable the formula is to manufacture, distribute
and market to consumers. The "gold standard" of evidence-based medicine
therefore becomes literally: "those who own the gold make the standard."

This
is not the first study to reveal curcumin's potential value in treating
breast cancer. A growing body of experimental evidence clearly shows
that curcumin provides a potential drug alternative.

GreenMedInfo.com has indexed over 60 in vitro and animal studies demonstrating either curcumin's direct anti-breast cancer activity,
or, its ability to enhance breast cancer's sensitivity to conventional
chemotherapy. Also, the open access project has indexed over 1500
abstracts from the National Library of Medicine on its potential value
in over 500 health conditions: Turmeric Breast Cancer.

Other pre-clinically confirmed natural candidates for combating triple negative breast cancer include:
Blueberry
Bee Propolis

Relevant substances to avoid include:
Fructose
Oral Contraceptives

For a far wider dataset on potential natural breast cancer solutions,
and common avoidable causes, visit the GreenMedInfo.com Breast Cancer
Research health guide: Natural Breast Cancer Research


Source:-
http://www.activistpost.com/2012/10/research-curcumin-is-triple-negative.html