Curcumin may Prevent Breast Cancer in Women Who Took Hormones

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Curcumin may Prevent Breast Cancer in Women Who Took HormonesWednesday, July 22,

2009 by: Sherry Baker, Health Sciences Editor

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Key concepts: Cancer, Breast cancer and Curcumin   Email this article to

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the petition here.(NaturalNews) It's not only estrogen that can spark breast

cancer. Some malignant tumors are sensitive to the hormone progestin. And

studies have shown that postmenopausal women who took a combination of estrogen

and progestin in hormone replacement therapy (HRT) have an increased likelihood

of developing progestin-fueled breast cancer. But new research concludes a

natural therapy could help. University of Missouri researchers have found that

curcumin, a popular Indian spice derived from the turmeric root, could reduce

the risk of breast cancer risk in women exposed to HRT.

 

" Approximately 6 million women in the United States usehormone replacement

therapy to treat the symptoms ofmenopause, " Salman Hyder, the Zalk Endowed

Professorship in Tumor Angiogenesis and professor of biomedical sciences in the

University of Missouri's College of Veterinary Medicine and the Dalton

Cardiovascular Research Center, said in a statement to the media.  " This

exposure to progestin will predispose a large number of post-menopausal women to

future development of breastcancer. The results of our study show that women

could potentially take curcumin to protect themselves from developing

progestin-accelerated tumors. "

 

For their study, which has been accepted for future publication in the

journal Menopause, the research team found that curcumin delayed the first

appearance of progestin-accelerated tumors in lab animal experiments. The spice

also decreased the incidence and reduced the numbers of progestin-fueled breast

tumors in the animal studies. In fact, curcumin prevented the appearance of

gross morphological abnormalities in the animals' mammary glands.

 

In previous studies, University of Missouri researchers showed that progestin

caused the accelerated development of certain tumors because the hormone

increases production of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). VEGF is known

to spur the supply of blood to cancerous tumors, making them grow more quickly.

Hyder explained in the media statement that curcumin has been found to inhibit

progestin-induced secretion of VEGF from breast cancer cells. So, by blocking

the production of VEGF, the proliferation of breast cancer cells should be

reduced .

 

" Curcumin and other potential anti-angiogenic compounds should be tested further

as dietary chemopreventive agents in women already exposed to hormone

replacement therapy containing estrogen and progestin in an effort to

decrease or delay the risk of breast cancer associated with combined hormone

replacement therapy, "  Hyder said.

 

According to the American Cancer Society, using HRT which combines estrogen with

progestin for several years increases not only the risk of developing breast

cancer but also the chances of dying from the disease. HRT containing both

hormones makes breasts more dense and raises the risk the cancer may be found at

a more advanced stage.

 

Author's note: NaturalNews is opposed to the use of animals in medical

experiments that expose them to harm. We present these findings in protest of

the way in which they were acquired.

 

For more information:

http://munews.missouri.edu/news-rel...

http://jcem.endojournals.org/cgi/co...

http://www.cancer.org/docroot/CRI/c...

 

Muhammad Ahmad Al-Masry