New Scientific Review: Broccoli Compounds Act Against Cancer, but Western Medicine Ignores Its Benefits

AHA Publisher — Tue, 14 Dec 2021 08:00:18 +0000

Lori Alton via NaturalHealth365 – For almost three decades, forward-thinking scientists have been investigating the potential of sulforaphane – found in cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli and Brussels sprouts – to combat cancer. In a new review published in Frontiers in Nutrition, the authors evaluated sulforaphane research while shedding light on the multiple mechanisms through which this potent natural compound targets cancer cells. Yet, despite very promising results, the team noted there has been a delay in Western medicine’s acceptance of the therapeutic potential of sulforaphane. Why are conventional oncologists “dragging their feet” on this?! Let’s see what the research reveals. Preliminary Studies Showcase Anticancer Effects of Sulforaphane in Broccoli Cell and animal studies have shown that sulforaphane has anticancer effects, with the ability to cause apoptosis, or pre-programmed “suicide,” in cancer cells. Sulforaphane has also been shown to inhibit the ability of cancer to invade other cells and to slow the progression of lesions into malignant tumors. (As it turns out, sulforaphane has the capacity to inhibit angiogenesis, the formation of new blood vessels carrying oxygen and nutrients to tumors). Research has shown that a high dietary intake of cruciferous vegetables – such as broccoli, kale, cabbage, and Brussels sprouts – is associated with a lower risk of cancers. And, a recent (2020) review of clinical studies indicates that cruciferous vegetables rich in sulforaphane may reduce the risk of breast cancer. And, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, breast cancer currently claims the lives of over 42,000 women a year in the United States. No doubt, more women need to hear about the health benefits of cruciferous vegetables. Hope Against a Lethal Disease: Sulforaphane in Broccoli Inhibits Triple-Negative Breast Cancer Cells, While Potentially Setting the Stage for Treatment Triple-negative breast cancer is among the deadliest of all breast cancers – and there are currently no effective therapies. However, researchers say that sulforaphane works against the signaling pathways needed for the development and metastasis of this type of cancer. A 2019 study published in Cancer Prevention Research revealed that sulforaphane suppressed the growth and tumorsphere formation of triple-negative breast cancer stem cells, both in vitro (in test tubes) and in vivo (in living creatures). One of the reasons for the virulence of triple-negative breast cancers is that the cells don’t have the receptors that allow effective treatments to be given. But, a meta-analysis of studies found that sulforaphane – along with epigallocatechin gallate, a flavonoid found in green tea – restored estrogen receptors in triple-negative breast cancer cells, thereby potentially “opening the door” for treatment! And, the encouraging research is not limited to breast cancer. In a study published in Oncotarget – Peer-Reviewed Oncology and Cancer Research, scientists found that sulforaphane significantly inhibited thyroid cancer cell proliferation as well – leading them to label it a “potentially effective antitumor agent.“ Bureaucratic Obstacles and “Red Tape” Have Slowed Sulforaphane Research In the Frontiers of Nutrition review, the authors discussed the delay in sulforaphane’s acceptance as a cancer treatment – along with the delay in the acceptance of cruciferous vegetables as a preventive, and possibly therapeutic, intervention. Until the beginning of the 21st century, pure sulforaphane – which was used in many of the studies – was considered a drug by the Food and Drug Administration, meaning trials had to be strictly regulated. In addition, while sulforaphane had obvious anticancer effects, it was difficult for researchers to “tease out” exactly which other nutrients in cruciferous vegetables (such as flavonoids, anthocyanins, carotenoids, fiber, vitamins, and minerals) might be acting against cancer as well. As if that doesn’t make the research tricky enough, cruciferous vegetables contain varying amounts of glucoraphanin and other anticancer constituents – depending on the species, temperature, time of harvest, light, and soil. Calling the current therapeutic use of plant compounds “woefully inadequate,” the team suggested supporting health and preventing disease through the promotion and marketing of “healthy diets rich in fresh fruits and vegetables.” They also called for more research to explore the effects of sulforaphane. Good News: Sulforaphane Precursors Help Absorbability Three decades of research have illustrated the cancer-fighting abilities of sulforaphane. However, experts point out that you can’t just “pop a pill” of this compound – as stomach acids would quickly destroy it. So, how do we get this precious anticancer molecule into our bodies? Researchers say this requires the use of a “precursor” known as glucoraphanin, which is converted to sulforaphane in the digestive tract. And, one more “player”- an enzyme known as myrosinase – is needed. This natural plant chemical activates sulforaphane upon being ripped, cut, or chewed. While mature broccoli lack sulforaphane-boosting power, fresh, raw broccoli sprouts possess a much greater ability than mature florets to boost blood levels. (We’re talking 10 to 100 times more!) But: food-borne pathogens are sometimes found in broccoli sprouts, causing many natural health experts to warn that they require extensive decontamination before they can be eaten. Fortunately, supplementary glucoraphanin and myrosinase are available in enteric caplets, which are coated to avoid stomach acids. Before supplementing, however, consult your integrative doctor or health coach for guidance. Of course – despite their limitations in raising sulforaphane levels – cruciferous vegetables have consistently been linked with lower cancer rates, as well as with other health benefits. Eating generous amounts of these vegetables should be part of your daily health routine. Unfortunately, conventionally-trained nutrition “experts” barely acknowledges the existence of plant chemicals – and physician training includes almost no nutrition education. The reviewers would clearly like to see this situation change – and called for a complete “reinvention of the country’s healthcare,” with phytochemicals, such as sulforaphane, at the forefront. Let’s see if anyone is listening. Sources for this article include: LifeExtension.com NIH.gov NIH.gov CDC.gov To read the original article click here.

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Microbiome Transplants Can Reprogram Immune System to Attack Tumors

AHA Publisher — Fri, 08 Jan 2021 08:00:26 +0000

Abigail Klein Leichman via Israel21c – Changing the gut microbiome can reprogram the immune system to attack malignant tumors, according to results of a unique clinical trial at Sheba Medical Center in Israel. The results were published in the peer-reviewed journal Science by a research team led by senior GI oncologist Dr. Ben Boursi, senior oncologist Dr. Gal Markel and MD-PhD student Erez Baruch. “For the first time in the world, we have successfully fought cancerous tumors by changing the gut microbiome,” Boursi said. “Currently, immunotherapy works for only 40 percent to 50 percent of patients. We anticipate that with the help of this revolutionary treatment, we will see as many patients as possible transforming from non-responders to responders,” he said. The researchers performed fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) on 10 terminally ill patients with metastatic melanoma who had not responded to immunotherapy and had exhausted all other existing treatment options. “In the first stage, we eradicated the patient’s existing microbiome, after which we transplanted gut microbiota from cancer survivors who’d had melanoma, but who had responded well to immunotherapy and who had been cancer-free for at least one year,” Boursi explained. Significant Results Two weeks after the donor microbiome was introduced via colonoscopy, and the patients had completely absorbed the donor microbiota, they resumed immunotherapy. They also received odorless, flavorless pills containing the same bacteria for three months. In two of the study participants, tumors shrank considerably. One patient’s tumor disappeared and hasn’t returned even more than two years later. “To see a 30 percent response is really extraordinary,” Boursi explained to ISRAEL21c, considering the terminal condition of the participants and their previous failed treatments. Most significantly, Boursi and his team saw evidence of an increased immune response on the cellular level as well as in gene expression profiles of the three patients who did respond well. He believes that some of the transplanted patients weren’t responsive to the immunotherapy due to genetic changes in their tumors – meaning the microbiome is not the only factor that can affect the response to treatment. “Although we emphasize the clinical benefit of the treatment, we should remember that it is the cherry on top,” he said. “Our main goal was to see if the treatment is safe and feasible.” Now that the microbiome transplant procedure has indeed been shown to be “simple, safe and relatively inexpensive,” Boursi and the team at Sheba are testing it on other melanoma patients as well as patients with lung cancer, one of the most common causes of cancer death. Side Effects Disappeared Regardless of whether or not the FMT affected the success of immunotherapy, it had another unexpected benefit: While many of the trial participants had suffered severe side effects during their earlier failed round of immunotherapy, after the FMTimmunotherapy caused no significant side effects at all. “This alone is a tremendous achievement,” said Boursi. Now the team is exploring whether the transplant treatment could be used specifically to help ease immunotherapy side effects. They anticipate that their continued lab work may help them identify cancer patients who will benefit most from FMT therapy, as well as identify the most appropriate donor for each patient. They also hope to define the biological pathway underlying the change in immune responsiveness. What is it about the gut microbiome that can make such a difference in the success of immunotherapy? “We know that the gut microbiome has many roles in human health, and one is the development of the immune system,” Boursi tells ISRAEL21c. “For example, in germ-free mice the immune system does not develop properly.” Other authors of the study are affiliated with Tel Aviv University, Shamir Medical Center, Hadassah Medical Center, Bar-Ilan University and Assuta Ashdod University Hospital, all in Israel; and with the University of Pennsylvania and University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center in the United States. To read the original article click here. For more articles from Israel21c click here.

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malignant tumors Archives - Amazing Health Advances

New Scientific Review: Broccoli Compounds Act Against Cancer, but Western Medicine Ignores Its Benefits

Microbiome Transplants Can Reprogram Immune System to Attack Tumors