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Harnessing the power of plants to fight cancer

Researchers in the EU-funded CASCADE project are investigating why plant-based hormones appear to reduce the risk of breast cancer. The CASCADE project aims to better understand the effects of chemicals in food on our health, and particularly on our hormone systems. At a conf...

Researchers in the EU-funded CASCADE project are investigating why plant-based hormones appear to reduce the risk of breast cancer. The CASCADE project aims to better understand the effects of chemicals in food on our health, and particularly on our hormone systems. At a conference on EU-funded food quality and safety research projects in Brussels on 12 December, Sari Mäkelä of the University of Turku in Finland presented her work on lignans, a kind of phytoestrogen (oestrogen-like chemicals produced by plants). The oestrogens produced by our bodies are needed for the correct development and functioning of reproductive and other organs in both men and women. The oestrogen levels in our bodies are controlled by feedback system. However, problems can arise if the body is exposed to excessive levels of oestrogens, for example through the diet. 'We know there are a number of commonly occurring diseases that are known to be linked with oestrogens,' said Professor Mäkelä. 'It has been proposed that environmental compounds that resemble oestrogens could play a role in the development of breast cancer.' The matter is complicated by the fact that while some environmental oestrogens seem to cause breast cancer, others, such as tamoxifen, fight it. Previous research by CASCADE scientists has shown that lignans delay or inhibit breast cancer growth in experimental models. Lignans are found in a range of foods; flaxseed, linseed and sesame seeds all have particularly high lignan levels, but they are also found in fruits, vegetables, legumes and berries as well as drinks such as tea and red wine. Prof Mäkelä and her team are now investigating precisely how dietary lignans interact with the body's oestrogen signalling system. The microbes in our gut convert these plant lignans into mammalian lignans called enterolactone (ENL). The researchers found that in cell cultures, ENL induced a similar response to the body's own oestrogen, while in mice ENL induced a response which was only partially similar to that of oestrogen produced inside the body. The next task of the researchers is to see exactly how ENL interacts with oestrogen receptors in the body, and in the longer term, determine whether or not there is enough evidence to make a health claim on lignans and reduced cancer risk. However, Professor Mäkelä concluded by noting that when it comes to cancer, there is no magic bullet. 'Lignans as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle may help in breast cancer reduction, but they are not the single answer,' she warned. 'You have to fix your lifestyle - I think that's the main message.' The food quality and safety research conference was extremely successful, attracting 180 participants from research institutions and councils, industrial associations, advisory bodies and policy makers.

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