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Scrutinizing the evidence for breast
cancer procedures and treatments
Supplement Strategies - Curcumin
These results have staggering
implications for human use of
curcumin as an adjunctive breast
cancer treatment.
-- Julius Goepp, MD

By blocking the activity of this
“master switch,” curcumin
appears to interfere with the
cancer process at an early point,
impeding multiple routes of
development: reducing the
inflammatory response, inhibiting
the proliferation of tumor cells,
inducing their self-destruction,
and discouraging the growth of
blood vessels feeding tumors. --

MD Anderson Cancer Center
OncoLog September 2007
/


    Cucumin has been found to suppress, retard, and even
    reverse cancer development at each stage of the disease.  

    --from Duvoix, A et al., Chemopreventive and Therapeutic Effects of Curcumin,
    Cancer Letters 2005


    Curcumin Reduces Number of Lung Metastases + Makes
    Taxol Less Toxic

    In 2005,  Curcumin made world-wide news when researcher,  Dr.
    Bharat Aggarwal and his team at M.D. Anderson, published new
    findings on the spice. When mice with breast cancer were given
    curcumin alone, taxol (a chemotherapeutic agent) alone,
    curcumin and resistance. But curcumin inhibited taxol's
    inflammatory response by blocking nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-
    kappa B) which regulates inflammation, cell proliferation, and
    apoptosis (cell death). (1)

    Acting through The Genes

    In a 2006 study, curcumin suppressed the tumor necrosis factor
    (TNF), from activating NF-kappa B.  By inhibiting TNF-induced NF-
    kappa B activation, curcumin down-regulated (reduced the
    expression of) genes that regulate every stage of cancer
    development. These stages include:  Cell proliferation,
    apoptosis, and malignancy. (3)

    Acting on Cell Proliferation                           

    By curcumin's inactivating NF-kappa B, genes involved in            
    cell proliferation, such as COX-2, cyclin D1, and c-myc, are
    inhibited. This means that curcumin suppresses production of
    proteins needed for uncontrolled growth and proliferation,
    inflammation and inhibition of PGE-2. (4)

    Restoring Apoptosis (Cell Death)

  • Curcumin also helps to restore normal programmed cell death. In
    the Aggarwal study above,  taxol induced NF-kappa B activation
    led to cell immortality, reducing the drug's ability to kill cancer
    cells. (5) Drug resistance is a huge problem.  Curcumin can help
    to make chemotherapeutic agents more effective.

    Metastasis:     

  • By curcumin's inactivating NF-kappa B, genes promoting
    metastasis, such as vascular endothelial growth factor, adhesion
    molecules, and matrix proteins, are inhibited.

    In the taxol study above, the mice with breast cancer fed
    curcumin or curcumin with taxol had fewer metastases to the
    lungs than mice fed no curcumin or on taxol alone.(6)


    According to the Life Extension Foundation, curcumin's action goes
    further, " inhibiting the epidermal growth factor receptor and is up to
    90% effective in a dose-dependent manner. It is important to note that
    while curcumin has been shown to be up to 90% effective in inhibiting
    the expression of the epidermal growth factor receptor on cancer cell
    membranes, this does not mean it will be effective in 90% of cancer
    patients or reduce tumor volume by 90%. However, because two-thirds
    of all cancers overexpress the epidermal growth factor receptor and
    such overexpression frequently fuels the metastatic spread of the
    cancer throughout the body, suppression of this receptor is
    desirable."


    References
    1.   Aggarwal BB  et al., Curcumin Suppresses the Paclitaxol-Induced Nuclear Factor-kB
    Pathway in Breast Cancer Cells and Inhibits Lung Metastasis of Human Breast Cancer
    in Nude Mice, Clinical Cancer Research 2005.
    2.  Ahn KS et al., Transcription Factor NF-kappa B: A Sensor for Smoke and Stress
    Signals, Ann NY Acad Sci 2005.
    3. Aggarwal S et al., Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) Down-Regulates Expression of Cell
    Proliferation and Antiapoptotic and Metastatic Gene Products Through Suppression of I
    Kappa Balpha and AKT Activation, Mol Pharmacol 2006
    4. Lev-Ari S et al., Down-Regulation of Prostaglandin E 2 by Curcumin is Correlated with
    Inhibition of Cell Growth and Decline in Apoptosis in Human Colon Carcinoma Cell Line, J
    soc Integ Oncol 2006.
    5. Aggarwal BB et al., Cucumin Suppress the Paclitaxol-Induced Nuclear Factor-kB
    Pathwayin Breast Cancer Cells and Inhibits Lung Metastasis of Human Breast Cancer in
    Nude Mice, Clinical Cancer Research 2005
    6. Aggarwal BB et al., IBID.

    These statements have not been evaluated by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration.  The
    supplements discussed are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any
    disease.

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    Web page updated February 2,  2010.