Apigenin Suppresses Progestin-Induced Breast Cancer
Posted May 04 2011 11:16am
With the results of the Women's Health Initiative Estrogen Plus Progestin Study , it became clear that hormone replacement therapy that includes a progestin such as medroxyprogesterone acetate (MPA) significantly increases breast cancer risk. Since the results of this study were released, scientists have been attempting to determine if other progestins have the same effect as MPA or whether there are ways to block the negative impact that MPA has on breast cancer risk. Since MPA acts to promote tumor growth by stimulating new blood vessel growth, one possible way to negate the effects of MPA would be to block the ability of MPA to promote factors involved in new blood vessel formation.
A new breast cancer research study tested the ability of the natural plant compound apigenin to inhibit MPA-induced breast cancer development in rats. Breast cancer researchers treated rats, whose breast cancer formation depended on the progestin MPA, with apigenin and then measured various aspects of tumor growth and tumor burden. The study investigators reported that
Apigenin treatment delayed the development of breast cancer tumors.
Apigenin also decreased the number of breast cancer tumors that did develop.
Treatment with apigenin blocked the ability of MPA to stimulate factors involved new blood vessel formation.
Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) levels were not changed by apigenin.
While apigenin treatment did not alter the number of cells with estrogen receptors, the number of cells with progesterone receptors was reduced.
This is an interesting animal study that confirms previous cell cultures studies by this same group of breast cancer researchers, which showed that apigenin blocked the MPA-induced production of factors linked to new blood vessel growth. By blocking the ability of the progestin MPA to induced blood vessel formation, apigenin shows the potential to reduce breast cancer tumor formation, a process that requires new blood vessel growth. This new study provides early evidence that apigenin treatment can indeed reduce MPA-induced breast cancer formation in this animal model. Studies in human volunteers would be needed to confirm the benefits of apigenin for reducing breast cancer risk associated with progestin use. However, such studies might be difficult to do. Ethical research guidelines stress minimizing the risk to human volunteers, so treating with substances known to cause disease or increase the risk for disease are difficult to get approved.
This is the second recent study suggesting that apigenin might have cancer fighting benefits. The earlier study reported that apigenin suppresses the growth of ER[-] breast cancer cells . Apigenin can be found in a number of vegetables including celery, celery hearts, rutabagas, parsley, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower, so make sure to get plenty of vegetables each and every day.
To learn about other diet and lifestyle choices to reduce your breast cancer risk, read my FREE book FIGHT NOW: EAT & LIVE PROACTIVELY AGAINST BREAST CANCER . Please recommend to anyone interested in breast cancer, breast cancer treatment, and breast cancer symptoms.
A new breast cancer research study tested the ability of the natural plant compound apigenin to inhibit MPA-induced breast cancer development in rats. Breast cancer researchers treated rats, whose breast cancer formation depended on the progestin MPA, with apigenin and then measured various aspects of tumor growth and tumor burden. The study investigators reported that
- Apigenin treatment delayed the development of breast cancer tumors.
- Apigenin also decreased the number of breast cancer tumors that did develop.
- Treatment with apigenin blocked the ability of MPA to stimulate factors involved new blood vessel formation.
- Estrogen receptor (ER) and progesterone receptor (PR) levels were not changed by apigenin.
- While apigenin treatment did not alter the number of cells with estrogen receptors, the number of cells with progesterone receptors was reduced.
This is an interesting animal study that confirms previous cell cultures studies by this same group of breast cancer researchers, which showed that apigenin blocked the MPA-induced production of factors linked to new blood vessel growth. By blocking the ability of the progestin MPA to induced blood vessel formation, apigenin shows the potential to reduce breast cancer tumor formation, a process that requires new blood vessel growth. This new study provides early evidence that apigenin treatment can indeed reduce MPA-induced breast cancer formation in this animal model. Studies in human volunteers would be needed to confirm the benefits of apigenin for reducing breast cancer risk associated with progestin use. However, such studies might be difficult to do. Ethical research guidelines stress minimizing the risk to human volunteers, so treating with substances known to cause disease or increase the risk for disease are difficult to get approved.This is the second recent study suggesting that apigenin might have cancer fighting benefits. The earlier study reported that apigenin suppresses the growth of ER[-] breast cancer cells . Apigenin can be found in a number of vegetables including celery, celery hearts, rutabagas, parsley, beets, Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and cauliflower, so make sure to get plenty of vegetables each and every day.
To learn about other diet and lifestyle choices to reduce your breast cancer risk, read my FREE book FIGHT NOW: EAT & LIVE PROACTIVELY AGAINST BREAST CANCER . Please recommend to anyone interested in breast cancer, breast cancer treatment, and breast cancer symptoms.