Strawberries Combat Cancer
Submitted by Lois Rain on April 8, 2011 – 12:18 amNo Comment
If food is our medicine then let’s consider ourselves lucky to have this powerhouse little fruit; one of nature’s tastiest preventatives. An Ohio State University study led by Dr. Tong Chen gave pre-cancerous participants (at high risk for developing full blown esophageal cancer) just two ounces of freeze dried strawberries dissolved in water daily for six months. Remarkably, 29 of the 36 participants showed a significant reduction in the malignancy grading of their pre-cancerous lesions and growth inhibition. The results were presented to the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting.
Survival rates for esophageal cancer are bleak. Only about 8 percent of patients live five years after diagnosis. It is the sixth most worldwide cause of cancer death. The study reveals a safe, inexpensive preventative that could be used in conjunction with conventional methods of cancer care.
Strawberries are often ignored among the other highly marketed super foods. It’s conceivable that the overwhelming amount of super fruit flavored products like those with pomegranate, acai, and goji will move over a bit to pay homage to the new fighter. In other words, prepare to start seeing everything flavored with strawberries. Tong Chen suggested that the freeze dried strawberries used in the study are 10 times more concentrated than whole strawberries, but still beneficial when consumed whole. No worries about side effects when we indulge in all berries, and thankfully stave off esophageal cancer.
~Health Freedoms
Strawberries Fight Cancer, Study Finds
Strawberries have the potential to prevent esophageal cancer, according to a preliminary study released Wednesday.
Researchers, led by Ohio State University, were able to show that freeze-dried strawberries slowed the growth of dysplastic, or precancerous, lesions in about 30 people who consumed the fruit for six months.
The study’s lead researcher, Tong Chen, an assistant professor in the oncology division of Ohio State University, presented the study at the American Association for Cancer Research’s annual meeting.
Esophageal cancer is the third most common gastrointestinal cancer and the sixth most frequent cause of cancer death in the world, Dr. Chen said. About 16,000 new cases of esophageal cancer a year are diagnosed in the U.S., according to the American Cancer Society.
Dr. Chen and a group of researchers are studying esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, the dominant type of esophageal cancer world-wide. They are looking at whether food or other substances might prevent cancer. Previous work showed that freeze-dried strawberries were able to significantly inhibit tumor development in rats.
The research team designed a small study in humans and approached the California Strawberry Commission, which agreed to fund the study and make available the freeze-dried strawberries. The commission is a state agency funded by the strawberry industry.
Dr. Chen’s team recruited 38 people in China who had mild-to-moderate dysplasia in the esophagus; 36 people completed the study. Biopsies of the esophagus were taken before and after the study. On average, patients were about 55 years old.
They were instructed to consume 30 grams of freeze-dried strawberries dissolved in a glass of water twice daily for a total of 60 grams a day for six months. Dr. Chen said the freeze-dried substance is about 10 times as concentrated as fresh strawberries, but suggested people could still benefit from eating whole strawberries on a daily basis.
Overall, the results showed 29 out of 36 participants experienced a decrease in histological grade of the precancerous lesion, or a slowing in the growth of the lesion during the study. Dr. Chen said larger, randomized placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm the results. She said it isn’t clear exactly what the anti-cancer agent in strawberries might be. But she noted that strawberries contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other substances known as phytochemicals, which are also found in some other types of berries.
By JENNIFER CORBETT DOOREN
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703280904576246854013624530.html
http://www.independent.ie/health/latest-news/strawberries-may-hold-back-growt...
Saturday, April 9, 2011
Strawberries Combat Cancer | Health Freedom Alliance
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