Top 10 Natural Cancer Killers

1. Beans are one of the best sources of plant protein and provide an excellent amount of fiber, but they are also an important part of a nutritious diet because they have cancer fighting potential as well. A group of researchers at Colorado State University reported on the anticancer abilities of beans. They noted that unlike vegetables, in which the more colorful ones typically contain more phytonutrients and disease fighting power, they found that white kidney beans have greater impact on cancer cells than navy beans, and that more colorful beans have milder effects. In other research, the dietary habits of more than 490,000 people were followed and compared with their impact on risk of head and neck cancers, which include cancer of the mouth, throat, and larynx. Foods that were found to be especially protective against these cancers included beans, carrots, and tomatoes, among others. A Loma Linda University also reported that people who ate beans at least three times a week had a 33% reduced risk of colon polyps (which often lead to colon cancer). A cancer prevention diet should include a variety of beans, which can be enjoyed in soups, salads, casseroles, and even on their own.


References
Colorado State University: http://www.collegian.com/index.php/article/2009/11/csu_prof_beans_fight_cancer
Freedman ND et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and head and neck cancer risk in a large United States prospective cohort study. Int J Cancer 2008 May 15; 122(10): 2330-36
Tantamango YM et al. Foods and food groups associated with the incidence of colorectal polyps: the Adventist Health Study. Nutr Cancer 2011 May; 63(4): 565-72

2. Broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage, cauliflower, Brussel sprouts, and kale, among others, contain several compounds shown to fight cancer. One is the chemical indole-3-carbinol (I3C), a phytonutrient that is a precursor to diindolylmethane (DIM), another indole and phytonutrient. Together, I3C and DIM promote metabolism of estrogen, a cancer-promoting hormone, into a safer version. Cruciferous vegetables, and especially broccoli sprouts, are also a source of the phytochemical sulforaphane, which has been shown to promote the production of enzymes that fight cancer-causing agents. Two more cancer-fighting compounds, lutein and zeaxanthin, are found in cruciferous vegetables as well. Lutein, for example, has demonstrated activity against prostate cancer and colon cancer. Be sure to include broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables as a regular part of a cancer prevention diet.


References
Gunasekera RS et al. Lycopene and lutein inhibit proliferation in rat prostate carcinoma cells. Nutr Cancer 2007; 58(2): 171-77.
Lu QY et al. Inhibition of prostate cancer cell growth by an avocado extract: role of lipid-soluble bioactive substances.  J Nutr Biochem 2005 Jan; 16(1): 23-30
Reynoso-Camacho R et al. Dietary supplementation of lutein reduces colon carcinogenesis in DMH-treated rats by modulating K-ras, PKB, and β-catenin proteins. Nutr Cancer 2011; 63(1): 39-45

3.Carrots are an excellent source of beta-carotene, a potent antioxidant that has been associated with a reduced risk of various cancers, including prostate, mouth, throat, colon, stomach, and bladder. A study in Urology, for example, named carrots and cruciferous vegetables as agents associated with a reduced risk of bladder cancer. A National Cancer Institute study also named carrots as helping reduce the risk of mouth and throat cancers. In addition to beta-carotene, carrots also have a cancer fighting substance called falcarinol. A study of falcarinol and intestinal cancer cells showed that falcarinol inhibited proliferation of the cells. Some research (the Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention trial) has indicated beta-carotene increases the risk of lung cancer, but the study involved beta-carotene supplementation, not eating carrots, and the higher risk was seen in smokers. To get the most benefit from this anticancer food, enjoy raw carrots because they retain more of their nutritional value than cooked carrots, although raw or cooked, carrots are an important part of any cancer prevention diet.


References
Freedman ND et al. Fruit and vegetable intake and head and neck cancer risk in a large United States prospective cohort study. Int J Cancer 2008 May 15; 122(10): 2330-36
No authors listed. The effect of vitamin E and beta-carotene on the incidence of lung cancer and other cancers in male smokers. The Alpha-Tocopherol, Beta-Carotene Cancer Prevention Study Group. N Engl J Med 1994 Apr 14; 330(15): 1029-35
Purup S et al. Differential effects of falcarinol and related aliphatic C(17)-polyacetylenes on intestinal cell proliferation. J Agric Food Chem 2009 Sep 23; 57(18): 8290-96
Silberstein JL, Parson JK. Evidence-based principles of bladder cancer and diet. Urology 2010 Feb 75(2): 340-46

4. Cayenne peppers provide capsaicin, a substance that has demonstrated its cancer fighting abilities in several areas. In one laboratory study from 2007, for example, capsaicin slowed the growth of prostate cancer cells and prompted apoptosis (cell suicide), while a subsequent study found similar results regarding apoptosis and prostate cancer cells. Lung cancer is common among men, and investigators at Marshall University in West Virginia recently reported that “capsaicin could be useful in the therapy of human SCLC [small cell lung cancer].” Capsaicin also appears to have a role in fighting stomach cancer, as a recent study found. When capsaicin was added to conventional medical treatment (the anticancer drug, cisplatin), the capsaicin prompted apoptosis of cisplatin-resistant stomach cancer cells.

References

Brown KC et al. Capsaicin displays anti-proliferative activity against human small cell lung cancer in cell culture and nude mice models via the E2F pathway. PLoS One 2010 Apr 20; 5(4): e10243

Huh HC et al. Capsaicin induces apoptosis of cisplatin-resistant stomach cancer cells by causing degradation of cisplatin-inducible Aurora-A protein. Nutr Cancer 2011 Oct; 63(7): 1095-103

Sanchez AM et al. Apoptosis induced by capsaicin in prostate PC-3 cells involves ceramide accumulation, neutral sphingomyelinase, and JNK activation. Apoptosis 2007; 12(11): 2013-24.

Ziglioli F et al. Vanilloid-mediated apoptosis in prostate cancer cells through a TRPV-1 dependent and a TRPV-1-independent mechanism. Acta Biomed 2009 Apr; 80(1): 13-20

5. Garlic does more than keep vampires away—the popular herb also contains allium compounds that enhance the activity of immune system cells designed to fight cancer. These compounds, called dialyl sultides, may block carcinogens from getting into cells and also slow the development of tumors. People who regularly eat raw or cooked garlic may enjoy about half the risk of stomach cancer and two-thirds the risk of colorectal cancer when compared with people who eat little or no garlic, according to a study in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. A number of subsequent studies in both the laboratory and in animals have also indicated that garlic components have cancer-fighting properties. In a new study (February 2012) from China, researchers found evidence that a compound derived from garlic called S-allylcysteine showed some anticancer effects against human prostate cancer cells in the laboratory. Garlic is a versatile herb that can easily be incorporated into a cancer fighting diet.

References

Antony ML, Singh SV. Molecular mechanisms and targets of cancer chemoprevention by garlic-derived bioactive compound diallyl trisulfide. Indian J Exp Biol 2011 Nov; 49(11): 805-16

Fleischauer AT et al. Garlic consumption and cancer prevention: meta-analyses of colorectal and stomach cancers. Am J Clin Nutr 2000 Oct; 72(4): 1047-52

Lee JE et al. Induction of apoptosis with diallyl disulfide in AGS gastric cancer cell line. J Korean Surg Soc 2011 Aug; 81(2): 85-95

Liu Z et al. S-allylcysteine induces cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in androgen-independent human prostate cancer cells. Mol Med Report 2012 Feb; 5(2): 439-43

Wang X et al. Aged black garlic extract induces inhibition of gastric cancer cell growth in vitro and in vivo. Mol Med Report 2012 Jan; 5(1): 66-72

6. A number of different mushrooms, including shiitake, reishi, coriolus versicolor, and maitake, have demonstrated cancer-fighting properties. The anticancer abilities are attributed to polysaccharides, including beta glucan, which enhance the immune system and strengthen it against cancer. Mushrooms also contain complex protein/sugar molecules called lectin, which have an ability to prevent cancer cells from multiplying. Another compound in mushrooms is ergosterol peroxide, which can inhibit the growth or prostate cancer cells and prompt apoptosis, according to a study reported in Chemico Biological Interactions. In a recent Korean study, scientists noted that the yamabushitake mushroom demonstrated potential against human leukemia. Use of a shiitake extract in cancer patients produced promising results. The researchers found that patients with gastrointestinal cancer or breast cancer who took the mushroom extract along with chemotherapy experienced better quality of life and improved immune function.

References

Kim SP et al. Mechanism of Hericum erinaceus (Yamibushitake) mushroom-induced apoptosis of U937 human monocytic leukemia cells. Food Funct 2011 Jun; 2(6): 348-56

Russo A et al. Pro-apoptotic activity of ergosterol peroxide and (22E)-ergosta-7 22-dien-5alpha-hydroxy-3,6-dione in human prostate cancer cells. Chem Bio Interact 2010 Mar 30; 184(3): 352-58

Yamaguchi Y et al. Efficacy and safety of orally administered Lentinula edodes mycelia extract for patients undergoing cancer chemotherapy: a pilot study. Am J Chin Med 2011; 39(3): 451-59

7. Raspberries are an excellent source of antioxidants and phytonutrients called anthocyanins, which may protect against cancer. In a study published in Cancer Research, rats given a diet containing 5% to 10% black raspberries had a 43% to 62% decrease in the number of esophageal tumors. In subsequent studies, black raspberry extracts inhibited the growth of colon cancer cells and also demonstrated activity against esophageal cancer in rats. In a recent Ohio State University study, black raspberry powder was given to patients who had colorectal cancer. The investigators found evidence that black raspberries had a positive impact on biomarkers of colorectal cancer, enough for them to conclude that additional studies of black raspberries “for the prevention of colorectal cancer in humans now appear warranted.” Raspberries may be an important part of a cancer prevention diet.

References

Johnson JL et al. Effect of black raspberry (Rubus occidentalis L) extract variation conditioned by cultivar, production site, and fruit maturity stage on colon cancer cell proliferation. J Agric Food Chem 2011 Mar 9; 59(5): 1638-45

Kresty LA et al. Chemoprevention of esophageal tumorigenesis by dietary administration of lyophilized black raspberries. Cancer Res 2001 Aug 15; 61(16): 6112-19

Wang LS et al. Mechanistic basis for the chemopreventive effective of black raspberries at a late stage of rat esophageal carcinogenesis. Mol Carcinog 2011 Apr; 50(4): 291-300

8. Resveratrol is a phytonutrient and potent antioxidant that is usually associated with grapes and red wine, but it also is the source of an important health benefit: it helps fight cancer. For example, a study conducted by investigators at the US Department of Agriculture found that resveratrol slowed the growth of prostate cancer cells, while scientists at New York Medical College discovered that two different analogues of resveratrol have an impact on different states of prostate cancer cells. Studies with resveratrol have also provided positive results concerning colon cancer. A new study from Italy reported evidence that resveratrol and its anti-inflammatory properties may prove helpful in fighting this deadly form of cancer, and Japanese researchers have also offered new research findings showing that resveratrol prompted apoptosis in human colon cancer cells.

References

Hsieh TC et al. Control of prostate cell growth, DNA damage and repair, and gene expression by resveratrol analogues, in vitro. Carcinogenesis 2010 Nov 2

Hudson TS et al. Differential effects of resveratrol on androgen-responsive LNCaP human prostate cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. Carcinogenesis 2008; 29(10):2001-10.

Miki H et al. Resveratrol induces apoptosis via ROS-triggered autophagy in human colon cancer cells. Int J Oncol 2012 Jan 3

Panaro MA et al. Anti-inflammatory effects of resveratrol occur via inhibition of lipopolysaccharide-induced NF-kB activation in Caco-2 and SW480 human colon cancer cells. Br J Nutr 2012 Jan 17: 1-10

9. Tomatoes are one of the best sources of lycopene, a phytonutrient and antioxidant that is especially concentrated in tomatoes that are cooked or processed, as in tomato sauce or tomato juice. Numerous studies have explored the relationship between tomatoes and lycopene and the fight against cancer, and one of the largest ones involved nearly 48,000 men. In that study, the researchers found that men who consumed the most tomatoes and tomato products had a 35% lower risk of developing prostate cancer and a 53% reduced risk of getting aggressive prostate cancer. In a follow-up to this study published 7 years later, the investigators confirmed that “frequent consumption of tomato products is associated with a lower risk of prostate cancer.” A recent review in Current Medicinal Chemistry reports on the impact of lycopene on cancer in general, and how its potent antioxidant properties help it prevent cell damage and inhibit cell growth. In addition, some case-control studies have shown that greater consumption of tomatoes and lycopene is associated with a reduced risk of lung cancer. All of these findings suggest tomatoes are an important part of a cancer fighting diet.

References

Arab L et al. Lycopene and the lung. Exp Biol Med (Maywood) 2002 Nov; 227(10): 894-99

Giovannucci E et al. A prospective study of tomato products, lycopene and prostate cancer risk. J Natl Cancer Inst 2002 Mar 6; 94(5): 391-98

Giovannucci E et al. Intake of carotenoids and retinol in relation to risk of prostate cancer. J Natl Cancer Inst 1995 Dec 6; 87(23): 1767-76

Palozza P et al. Role of lycopene in the control of ROS-mediated cell growth: implications in cancer prevention. Curr Med Chem 2011; 18(12): 1846-60

Turmeric (Curcuma longa) is considered an anticancer food and spice because it possesses a variety of important cancer fighting properties. In the January 2012 issue of Frontiers of Bioscience, for example, the authors remarked that curcumin, the active ingredient in turmeric, “appears to involve a blend of anti-carcinogenic, pro-apoptotic, anti-angiogenic, anti-metastatic, immunomodulatory and antioxidant activities.” In other words, curcumin seems to fight cancer from multiple fronts. Some of those fronts have been demonstrated in studies like one published in 2010, in which the investigators evaluated the benefits of turmeric and found that it inhibited the growth of both human and animal prostate cancer cell lines. A number of studies show that curcumin may prove to a powerful anticancer food against colon cancer, and there are also data suggesting that curcumin used along with chemotherapy is “a superior strategy for treatment of gastrointestinal cancer,” according to a 2009 report in Nutrition and Cancer. According to Dr. Andrew Weil, founder and director of the Arizona Center for Integrative Medicine, unless you have inflammatory bowel disease, the best way to reap the benefits of turmeric is by adding it to your diet.

References

Hossain DS et al. Curcumin: The multi-targeted therapy for cancer regression. Front Biosci (Schol Ed) 2012 Jan 1; 4:335-55

Patel BB, Majumdar AP. Synergistic role of curcumin with current therapeutics in colorectal cancer: minireview. Nutr Cancer 2009; 61(6): 842-46

Shehzad A et al. Curcumin therapeutic promises and bioavailability in colorectal cancer. Drugs Today (Barc) 2010 Jul; 46(7): 523-32

Slusarz A et al. Common botanical compounds inhibit the hedgehog signaling pathway in prostate cancer. Cancer Res 2010 Apr 15; 70(8): 3382-90