Hops could help reduce breast cancer risk
Hops, the flower cones used in beer-making, are also found in dietary supplements designed to help treat post-menopausal symptoms and other conditions. Scientists are now investigating whether an extract from the plant could also help fend off breast cancer. In the ACS journal Chemical Research in Toxicology, one team reports new lab tests on breast cells that support this possibility. In the U.S., breast cancer is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women. Exposure to estrogen has long been considered one of the risk factors associated with developing the disease, particularly in post-menopausal women. Women who are undergoing menopause often use hormone replacement therapy, or HRT, to alleviate symptoms such as hot flashes. But HRT has been linked to an increased risk of breast cancer and heart disease, so some women are turning to hops supplements, which contain phytoestrogens, as a natural alternative. However, their effect on cancer risk is unclear. Preliminary lab studies have suggested that certain active compounds from hops could have protective properties. Building on this lead, Judy L. Bolton and colleagues used an enriched hop extract to test its effects on estrogen metabolism, one of the processes in the development of breast cancer.
The researchers applied the extract to two different breast cell lines to see how they would affect estrogen metabolism. One particular hops compound called 6-prenylnaringenin, or 6-PN, boosted the cells' detoxification pathway that studies have associated with a lower risk for breast cancer. Thus the results suggest that 6-PN could have anti-cancer effects, although more studies would be needed to further investigate this possibility, the researchers say.
Source: American Chemical Society
Articles on the same topic
- Protein associated with improved survival in some breast cancer patientsWed, 29 Jun 2016, 15:10:02 UTC
- Women with early stage breast cancer experience functional decline after treatmentMon, 27 Jun 2016, 17:44:07 UTC
- Beneficial bacteria may protect breasts from cancerFri, 24 Jun 2016, 17:34:25 UTC
- Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines may reduce riskThu, 23 Jun 2016, 14:57:43 UTC
- 'Holy grail' of breast cancer prevention in high-risk women may be in sightThu, 23 Jun 2016, 14:57:31 UTC
Other sources
- 'Breast Cancer Gene' BRCA1 Linked to Aggressive Uterine Cancer from Live ScienceThu, 30 Jun 2016, 15:51:17 UTC
- Protein associated with improved survival in some breast cancer patientsfrom Science DailyWed, 29 Jun 2016, 17:01:24 UTC
- Is There a Link Between Bacteria and Breast Cancer?from Live ScienceTue, 28 Jun 2016, 20:50:59 UTC
- Well: Putting Breast Cancer on a Dietfrom NY Times HealthTue, 28 Jun 2016, 11:51:01 UTC
- Beneficial bacteria may protect breasts from cancerfrom Science DailyFri, 24 Jun 2016, 19:01:16 UTC
- Adherence to cancer prevention guidelines may reduce riskfrom Science DailyThu, 23 Jun 2016, 14:51:31 UTC
- Low breast density worsens prognosis in breast cancerfrom Science DailyTue, 21 Jun 2016, 15:31:40 UTC
- 'Holy grail' of breast cancer prevention in high-risk women may be in sightfrom Science DailyMon, 20 Jun 2016, 18:31:15 UTC