‘Bioactive’ foods stop cancer stem cell re-growth

Dr. Young S Kim of the National Cancer Institute in America has presented research findings (2012) that, if heeded, offer a potential breakthrough in cancer treatment. Put simply, in a world that has just discovered that at the heart of all cancers there are ´cancer stem cells´ and there are absolutely no drugs known to man that kill them, Kim seems to have found a simple solution – Bioactive Natural Compounds can stop cancers re-growing.

Kim has found in research that a number of natural compounds can prevent tumour re-growth and even ultimately kill off cancer stem cells – maybe ´normalise them´ would be a better expression. This is the science of Epigenetics. Indeed, she went on in her research to state that if you could not consume these particular natural compounds in your foods, then you should take them in ´quality supplements´.

It is now known that only very rarely does your DNA double-helix actually mutate. More usually it becomes blocked by ´histones´ that surround it. Thus it cannot transmit crucial messages meaning genes are silenced. While scientists go back to the drawing board looking for drugs to unblock the blockages, Epigeneticists already know that there are 60 or so Natural Compounds that have an unblocking effect.

You have stem cells all over your body. They are your cellular repair mechanism and go to the point of damage where they convert into new liver cells, colon cells or pretty much whatever you need.

Back in 2004, Wang and his team at British Columbia Cancer Center found that stomach cancers could be caused by these stem cells, which are rapidly dividing, becoming ´stuck´ in that state because of localised oestrogen. They then continue dividing rapidly; result cancer. He claimed at the time that cancer text books would have to be rewritten. Maybe. But this discovery was originally made by a Mancunian, Dr. John Beard, in 1906 whose work was ignored.

We now know that cancers from stomach to brain tumours, and breast to myeloma, all have ´cancer´ stem cells at their heart. While current drugs can knock tumours back 40 to 70 per cent, no drug exists today that can completely wipe out the 3 per cent of cells (the cancer stem cells) that lie at the heart of a cancer.

What has become clearer by the day is that cancer stem cells act just like normal stem cells in that they have the properties of self-renewal and differentiation, according to Young S. Kim, M.D. of the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda and her team.

In other words, these cancer stem cells can simply grow back and reform the tumour.

Importantly Dr. Kim also reported that bioactive food components, which are available in foods or as dietary supplements, may have a capacity to suppress cancer stem cells or prevent them from self-renewal. As Chris Woollams told you in his bestselling book ´the Rainbow Diet´, certain natural compounds have the ability to protect and correct. (Kim et al., Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry; July 2012)

The researchers say “eating inappropriate foods and their ingredients may result in the loss of regulatory molecules and promote the aberrant or uncontrolled self-renewal of cancer stem cells. But eating other foods containing specific natural compounds can stop the self-renewal”.

In highly technical terms Kim stated, ´The ability of these bioactive food components to influence the balance between proliferative and quiescent cells by regulating critical feedback molecules in the network including dickkopf 1 (DKK-1), secreted frizzled-related protein 2 (sFRP2), B cell-specific Moloney murine leukemia virus integration site 1 (Bmi-1) and cyclin-dependent kinase 6 (CDK6) may account for their biological response.´

The natural compounds followed included sulforaphanes, curcumin, piperine, theanine and choline plus vitamins A and D, genistein,  and EGCG from green tea. All of these, according to the researchers, have been demonstrated to be able to modify self-renewal properties of cancer stem cells. They termed these compounds Biotics and stated that all could be found as quality supplements.

To read about more bioactive compounds with Epigenetic effects.

If you are considering buying supplements, why not have a look at the quality products chosen by the team in Our Natural Selection (Click here).