Over the past two decades, as the Science of Epigenetics and the Metabolic Theory of cancer have come to the fore, more and more bioactive natural compounds have been shown in research to have corrective effects with breast cancer and even Triple Negative Breast Cancer (TNBC).
This article starts with an explanation is simple English, of The Science of Epigenetics, how cancer is reversible and why you are not doomed. Then we list some of the bioactive natural compounds known to be capable of having an effect with TNBC, and then breast cancer as a whole. There's even a link to foods for HER2 breast cancer.
Breast cancer, TNBC and bioactive natural compounds, introduction
Up to 15 per cent of breast cancers are TNBC and, worryingly, it tends to be found in younger women and it tends to be more aggressive.
But over the last decade, more and more research has shown how bioactive natural compounds have an effect in both preventing and correcting breast cancer, and even with TNBC.
It is quite clear that certain foods hold the ability to 'Protect and Correct' in the fight against cancer.
We even have a book, 'the Rainbow Diet - and how it can help you beat cancer', ‘which is regularly updated as more research appears and reviews a wide variety of diets before going into exactly how natural compounds and other factors can have Epigenetic effects to protect and correct, but in a simple way, even including shopping lists! In fact, there is even research that a Rainbow Diet 'slashes' TNBC risk.
Go to: Rainbow Diet Slashes TNBC risk
Since 2006 there has been an ‘explosion’ in research into complementary therapies with ‘overwhelming’ evidence that factors such as diet can ‘increase survival and even prevent a cancer returning’, according to the American Cancer Society, not just CANCERactive.
Go to: The Rainbow Diet - and how it can help you beat cancer’
Other research from the ACS in 2012 showed you could stop cancer recurrence and increase survival with a good diet and exercise programme. In 2019, research from Johns Hopkins showed that exercise could reduce the risk of developing lung cancer or colorectal cancer by up to 77% and reduce the risk of dying from them by up to a staggering 89%. Exercise is known to act like a drug - it too has epigenetic benefits.
The Science of Epigenetics and breast cancer
Epigenetics is a science that has boomed since 1995. It holds that blockages around (epi-) the DNA structure prevent gene sequences sending out their messages, and that these blockages can be caused by a build up of homocystene and methylation, in turn caused by environmental toxins, hormones, poor diet, a loss of gut bacteria, increase in infection and more. an individual is controlled by factors other than its core DNA sequence.
The enormity of consistent research findings have seriously questioned the Somatic Theory of Cancer. This is the theory that all cancer is caused by 'mutations - sequence changes inside the DNA strands - a theory on which all modern medicine is based. Indeed the Somatic Theory of cancer still remains unproven. If sequence changing mutations existed inside the DNA then drugs, radiotherapy and surgery are needed to remove these damaged cells.
But if the changes occur around the DNA ball and are caused by factors such as poor diet and hormone changes, surely a good diet and correcting hormone imbalances might release the blockages and correct the cancer. No wonder epigeneticists believe cancer is reversible and you are not 'doomed'.
At Addenbrooks, Cambridge, researchers have shown that apart from being predictive of diseases such as cancer and dementia, high levels of homocysteine link to heart disease, while higher levels of plasma B vitamins like folic acid/folate lower homocysteine levels and are preventative. Diet is thus important as is a healthy microbiome as your gut bacteria make B vitamins!
The Science of Epigenetics has shown that blockages occur in response to 4 factors - diet, environmental toxins, stress and hormones – each and all can affect the EXPRESSION of the core genes by changing the methylation bonding. The science has also shown that these changes can even be passed on to future generations.
Homocysteine and folate
Just as the methylation can be increased by homocysteine, so it can be corrected in the other direction. And the new chemical bonds formed by environmental toxins and poor diet can also be corrected. It is quite understandable in the world of biochemistry that chemical reactions like methylation and acetylation can be reversed. Folic acid or folate has long been known to be protective in cell division. Now, increasingly, many bioactive compounds in nature are being shown to have similar positive effects.
Yes, you can reverse the process. Yes, you can unblock restricted gene expression. No, you are not doomed.
Go to: Epigenetics and reversing cancer
and,
Go To: The best epigenetic natural compounds
Orthodox medicine and TNBC
TNBC is a problem for oncologists. It doesn’t fit any of their formulae for best practice. It isn’t oestrogen-driven, so that rules out Tamoxifen and Aromatase Inhibitors. It isn’t progesterone or HER-2 driven either. So what can they do. What specific weaponry do they have?
Often oncologists resort to common, old fashioned chemo drugs that just kill rapidly dividing cells (all of them, including your hair and finger nails) or something newer like Taxol/Paclitaxel, where there are now 6 studies showing that the drug may break down tumours but it increases metastases in the body with little or no overall increase in survival times. In America now, patients are told by their oncologist that it has a positive effect in less than three per cent of women.
Reversing methylation in breast cancer
‘It is now known that abnormal histone modification in combination with DNA hypermethylation is frequently associated with epigenetic silencing of tumour suppressor genes and genomic instability in breast cancer’, so says a report by scientists looking to develop drugs that can reverse the process.
But it is not just the changed bonds around the DNA that pose a target, it is the enzymatic processes that cause methylation in the first place, as well. ‘Histone lysine methylation is known to be a reversible process’ and researchers are looking for ‘drugs that can act as Histone Methyltransferase and Demethylase Inhibitors in Breast Cancer’.
The good news is that the Science of Epigenetics has already shown that there are bioactive natural compounds capable of affecting the methylation and structural faults.
Triple Negative Breast Cancer and bioactive Natural Compounds
So what might a woman with TNBC look to help her take some control? Here are just a few of the research we have covered in Cancer Watch:
1. Vitamin D - Go To: Two studies show vitamin D can correct TNBC
2. Indole 3 Carbinol/DIM – Go To: Indole 3 carbinol and Dim can fight breast cancer - TNBC or ER+
3. Curcumin – can form a number of gene controlling functions with TNBC and breast cancer. For example
(i) Curcumin wakes up tumour suppressor genes
(ii) Curcumin inhibits metastases
4. Green Tea – Green tea slows TNBC development
5. Blueberries - Blueberry powder shown to reduce TNBC tumour size and metastases
6. Rose Hips - Rose hips have effect in TNBC
7. Luteolin - Luteolin can reduce metastases in TNBC and inhibits VEGF
And more generally, for breast cancer:
8. Folate – Folate supplementation prevents breast cancer
9. Carotenoids - Carotenoids can prevent breast cancer and also prevent it returning. Carotenoids are a strong element in The Rainbow Diet.
10. Conjugated Linoleic Acid - CLA has epigenetic benefits against breast cancer even at low levels
11. Breast Defend - A 2012 research study at Indiana University Health showed that a branded compound called BreastDefend reduced metastases and progression in TNBC.
The ingredients were
* Modified Citrus Pectin
* Indole 3 Carbinol/DIM
* Extracts from Medicinal mushrooms (Coriolus versicolor, Ganoderma lucidum, Phellinus linteus)
* Medicinal herbs (Scutellaria barbata, Astragalus membranaceus, Curcuma longa)
After a round of in vitro testing, the product was used with mice where it reduced lung progression from 67% to just 20% (Click here). Obviously, you can use the individual elements.
12. Melatonin - Melatonin works 5 ways against breast cancer
13. Resveratrol - Resveratrol stops malignant spread of breast cancer
14. Red Grape Polyphenols - red grape phenols inhibit breast cancer progression
15. Mushrooms - mushrooms can inhibit aromatase enzymes
16. Ginger - Ginger may be better than drugs at fighting breast cancer
17. Environmental toxins - Environmental toxins can poison for generations
You may also like to
Go to: Five foods to fight HER2 breast cancer
Go to: Seven Natural Compounds to fight TNBC
"If you are already thinking about buying any of these compounds you might look at what Our Natural Selection has on offer in its online shop - click here to go to the shop".
Go to: Breast Cancer - Latest News