A new study suggests that mice with prostate tumors should say “nuts to cancer.” Paul Davis of the University of California, Davis, hopes follow-up data by his team and others will one day justify men saying the same.

Most nuts in reasonable amounts can benefit the heart. But among walnuts’ special attributes were their ability to fight inflammation, an underlying cause of much heart disease, and to allow vessels to dilate as needed.

Inflammation also plays a role in many cancers. Davis notes that walnuts can tinker with production of endothelin, a protein not only related to blood pressure control but also to helping regulate prostate growth.

When asked what constituents of walnuts might be slowing tumor growth, Davis said “I suspect it’s a combination of things.” He pointed to the omega-3 fatty acids, such as alpha linolenic acid, together with minerals, other trace nutrients – perhaps even some of the proteins.

For more information on Dr. Davis, go to http://nutrition.ucdavis.edu/faculty/davis/

Reddit This Post

Share this

Hide Sites

Researchers in Philadelphia are among those seeking to expand the use of lasers to target tumors and curtail side effects. This treatment method is called Photodynamic Therapy, and has been used for many years as a non-invasive safe treatment for stopping bleeding in the retina.

In a randomized European study, photodynamic therapy had extended the life of patients with inoperable bile-duct cancer by more than a year, on average, in some cases several years. It worked so well that the trial was stopped early.

For more information, Click Here

For more information on related holistic news, Click Here to receive our free monthly e-newsletter.

Reddit This Post

Share this

Hide Sites

A new study published in Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research, shows that men whose cholesterol was in a healthy range (below 200) had less than half the risk of developing high-grade prostate tumors compared to men with high cholesterol.

Researchers studied 5,586 men aged 55 and older who participated in the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial between 1993 and 1996.  Although cholesterol levels made no difference in the odds of getting prostate cancer for most of the participants, it made a significant difference for the 60 men who developed high-grade tumors which grow and spread fast. For these men, the chance of developing an aggressive tumor was 59% lower among men with cholesterol under 200.

Although more research is planned on the topic, this study reinforces the idea that limiting fats in the bloodstream can reduce the risk of cancer.

SOURCE:  Men with Low Serum Cholesterol Have a Lower Risk of High-Grade Prostate Cancer in the Placebo Arm of the Prostate Cancer Prevention Trial, Platz, et al, Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2009;18(11):2807–13.

Reddit This Post

Share this

Hide Sites