SIUSLAW NEWS | SATURDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2018 | 9A
Breast Cancer
Awareness
Foods that may help fight cancer
P
eople concerned about
their cancer risk may find
that switching their diets
can do a world of good. Certain
foods may reduce cancer risk,
according to various cancer
experts, including the MD
Anderson Cancer Center. In
addition, some foods might
increase a person’s risk of
developing cancer. Knowing
what to put on the table come
breakfast, lunch and dinner can
go a long way toward reducing
one’s cancer risk.
Some foods show can-
cer-fighting properties,
although it is impossible to cur-
rently say one food or another
can actually stop cancer from
developing. Studies have shown
that diets filled with colorful
fruits and vegetables can reduce
the risk of developing cancer,
heart disease and diabetes.
Cancer Research UK points out
that some foods, such as red
meat and salt-preserved foods,
can increase a person’s risk of
developing some cancers, while
vegetables, fruits and foods
high in fiber have the opposite
effect.
A comprehensive review
of thousands of studies on
physical activity, diet and
weight conducted for the
World Cancer Research Fund
and the American Institute for
Cancer Research found that
plant-based foods are the best
at fighting cancer. Broccoli,
berries and garlic showed some
of the strongest tendencies to
prevent cancer. According to
research associates at Johns
Hopkins University School of
Medicine, a variety of chemicals
from plants known as phyto-
chemicals protect cells from
harmful compounds in food
and in the environment. Phyto-
chemicals prevent cell damage
and mutations.
When making their grocery
lists, people who want to eat
healthy and lower their cancer
risk can include as many of
these foods as possible.
• Garlic: Studies suggest that
garlic can reduce the incidence
of stomach cancer by attacking
bacteria associated with some
ulcers and belly cancers. Sulfur
compounds in the food may
stimulate the immune system’s
natural defenses against cancer
and could reduce inflammation
and tumor growth.
• Broccoli: Broccoli and
other cruciferous vegetables like
cauliflower, cabbage and kale
contain glucosinolates. These
are phytochemicals that pro-
duce protective enzymes that
activate in the intestines. One
particular compound, sulfora-
phane, is strongest and found in
broccoli. Protective properties
are highest in raw or steamed
broccoli.
• Blueberries: Blueberries are
loaded with antioxidants. Anti-
oxidants neutralize the unstable
compounds, called free radicals,
that can damage cells and lead
to cancer.
• Tomatoes: The red, rich
coloring of tomatoes comes
from lycopene. In laboratory
tests, lycopene has stopped can-
cer cells, including breast, lung,
and endometrial cancers, from
growing. Researchers speculate
that lycopene protects cells
from damage that could lead to
cancer by boosting the immune
system.
Breast cancer survival rates soar
A
breast cancer diagnosis
can be a devastating
blow. Upon receiving
such a diagnosis, people may
begin to ask questions about
treatment and the impact cancer
may have on their personal lives.
Many people who are diagnosed
with cancer also begin to won-
der about their mortality.
An estimated 266,120 new
cases of invasive breast cancer
and 63,960 new cases of non-in-
vasive, or in situ, breast cancer
are expected to be diagnosed
among women in the United
States this year, according to
Breastcancer.org. According to
the latest statistics presented
by the Canadian Breast Cancer
foundation, 26,300 women and
230 men had been diagnosed
with breast cancer in Canada in
2017.
The good news is that breast
cancer incidence rates began de-
creasing in 2000 after increasing
for the previous two decades. In
addition, death rates from breast
cancer have been decreasingly
steadily since 1989.
The National Cancer Insti-
tute says that the change in
age-adjusted mortality rates
are an indicator of the progress
being made in the fight against
breast cancer. The most recent
SEER Cancer Statistics Review
released in April 2018 indicates
cancer death rates among wom-
en decreased by 1.4 percent per
year between the years of 2006
and 2015. The American Cancer
Society says that decreasing
death rates among major cancer
types, including prostate, col-
orectal, lung, and breast cancers,
are driving the overall shift in
survival. The ACS says breast
cancer death rates among wom-
en declined by 39 percent from
1989 to 2015. That progress is
attributed to improvements in
early detection and treatment
protocols. For anyone doing the
math, over the last 25 years or
so, 322,000 lives have been saved
from breast cancer.
A similar scenario has un-
folded in Canada. Breast cancer
mortality rates in Canada re-
cently decreased to 21.4 percent,
down from 21.8 percent in 2011,
states data from the Canadian
Cancer Society. Currently, the
five-year survival rate for breast
cancer among Canadians is 87
percent, and the five-year net
survival in the United States is
85 percent.
Increased knowledge about
breast cancer, early detection
through examinations and
mammography and improved
treatments are helping to drive
up the survival rates of breast
cancer. Although this does not
make diagnosis any less scary, it
does offer hope to those recently
diagnosed.
What research says about
cannabis and cancer
A
ttitudes about mari-
juana are changing.
Such changes are
reflected in legislation that has
legalized marijuana in many
areas and, in some instances,
unofficially decriminalized
possession of small amounts
of marijuana in other places.
Shifting attitudes about
marijuana, also known as
cannabis, may be attributed
to various factors, including
medical research. Though
research studying the effects
of marijuana on recovering
cancer patients is ongoing,
cancer patients and their fami-
lies may be curious about the
potential for cannabis to assist
in their recoveries.
WHAT IS MARIJUANA?
Marijuana is a plant that
originated in central Asia but
is now grown in many parts
of the world. According to the
National Cancer Institute, the
cannabis plant produces a res-
in that contains compounds
known as “cannabinoids,”
which are active chemicals
that, when ingested, affect var-
ious parts of the human body,
including the central nervous
system and the immune
system. One active cannabi-
noid is cannabidiol, or CBD,
which the NCI notes may
relieve pain and inflammation
without making users feel the
“high” that other cannabinoids
produce.
WHAT ARE SOME OTHER
POTENTIAL EFFECTS OF
CANNABINOIDS?
The NCI notes that research
has shown that cannabinoids
may be able to do more than
relieve cancer patients’ pain
and inflammation. While
additional research is neces-
sary, the NCI says cannabi-
noids may be able to block
cell growth. The NCI points to
studies in mice and rats that
have shown that cannabinoids
may inhibit tumor growth by
causing cell death, blocking
cell growth and blocking
the development of blood
vessels that tumors need to
grow. Cancer is marked by
the uncontrolled division of
abnormal cells, so the poten-
tial for cannabinoids to block
that growth is a significant
benefit. In addition, the NCI
cites laboratory and animal
studies that have shown that
cannabinoids may be able to
kill cancer cells while protect-
ing normal cells.
HAVE CANNABINOIDS BEEN
LINKED TO PARTICULAR
CANCERS?
Studies have shown that
cannabinoids may have an ef-
fect on various types of cancer,
including breast cancer and
liver cancer. The NCI notes
that a laboratory study of
delta-9-THC, the main active
cannabinoid in marijuana,
in liver cancer cells indicated
that the cannabinoid damaged
or killed the cancer cells. An-
other laboratory study of CBD
in estrogen receptor positive
and estrogen receptor negative
breast cancer cells showed that
CBD caused cancer cell death
while having little effect on
normal breast cells.
Societal attitudes about
marijuana are shifting, and
ongoing research regarding its
potential benefits in treating
cancer may be changing the
way the medical community
views marijuana as well.
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