Green Tea’s Anti-Cancer Mechcanism Discovered
Mechanism For Green Tea’s Anti-Cancer Action Discovered June 3, 2004 Green tea appears to protect against cancer by affecting a ‘promiscuous’ protein that pharmaceutical experts are already targeting in their work on anti-cancer drugs, according to new research.
The study, by PhD student Christine Palermo at the University of Rochester Medical Center, reveals a potential new mechanism to explain the tea, and particularly its active compounds’ action against cancer. While many studies suggest that green tea protects people against some forms of cancer, such as breast and liver cancer, exactly how it does so has been difficult to pinpoint.
“”It’s important to find out the source of green tea’s protective effects,”" said toxicologist Thomas A Gasiewicz, whose work on the harmful effects of dioxin led the Rochester group to explore the protective effects of green tea.
“”What is exciting here is that a completely new mechanism has been found that very well could be responsible for its protective effects, and that could help us find a compound that is much more potent.”"
Palermo, Gasiewicz, and current undergraduate Claire Westlake discovered that a chaperone protein known as HSP90 is involved in conferring green tea’s protective effects. Other researchers have shown that many cancer cells have an increase in the level of HSP90 compared to healthy cells, and that when HSP90 is blocked, levels of proteins that make cancer cells grow drop.
Drug makers are currently working on ways to block HSP90, which is known as a promiscuous chaperone protein because it binds to many different cells and receptors in the body. It turns out that those researchers are trying to duplicate what green tea does naturally. Gasiewicz says green tea might modulate HSP-90 in a way that researchers have not seen before.
Gasiewicz and his group have shown how dioxin and other substances like cigarette smoke manipulate a major cancer-causing molecule, the aryl hydrocarbon (AH) receptor, which frequently plays a role in turning on genes that are oftentimes harmful.
Two years ago the team discovered that AH activity is inhibited by a chemical found in white and green teas, epigallocatechingallate or EGCG, now being produced and marketed as a supplement by DSM.
“”We initially hypothesized that EGCG would work in the same way as other AH antagonists, by binding directly to it. We were completely surprised that this isn’t the case,”" said Gasiewicz, whose work was funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the American Institute for Cancer Research.
Instead, the team found that EGCG binds to HSP90, a protein that helps other proteins stay stable, serving the same role as a tail on a kite. When the two bind, HSP90 no longer turns on the AH receptor, stopping the cascade of events that would lead to the activation of several harmful genes.
Another potential mechanism for green tea’s action was outlined recently by a team at the University of Wisconsin and Case Western Reserve University in Cleveland, Ohio. The found that green tea polyphenols reduce levels of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in prostate tumour cells in a mouse model for human prostate cancer. Increased levels of IGF-1 are associated with higher risk of several cancers, such as prostate, breast, lung and colon.
Meanwhile, researchers at Kyushu University in Japan reported last year that EGCG appears to inhibit tumour cell growth by binding to a receptor on cells called the 67-kDa laminin receptor. A variety of tumours produce abnormally high levels of 67 LR, and the receptor is thought to be involved in the spread of cancers through the body.
The new research was published in the 5 April issue of Biochemistry.
Vitamin E Essential In FIghting Colds and Maintaining Respiratory Health
Vitamin E Is essential in Fighting Colds & Maintaining Respiratory Health August 30, 2004
Vitamin E supplementation has potential benefit in fighting upper respiratory tract infections such as colds in the elderly, says a study published in the Aug. 18 issue of Journal of the American Medical Association(JAMA).
According to the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), one of the dietary supplement industry’s leading trade associations, this is one more positive study to add to the mounting scientific evidence that vitamin E is beneficial for improved immune function in the elderly.
Vitamin E comes from fats, oils, meats, poultry, fish, legumes, nuts, and soy and is a fat-soluble vitamin that exists in eight different forms. Each form has its own biological activity, the measure of potency or functional use in the body. Alpha-tocopherol is the most active form of vitamin E in humans, and is a powerful biological antioxidant.
Antioxidants such as vitamin E act to protect your cells against the effects of free radicals, which are potentially damaging by-products of the body
Doctors Urged to Be Wary of Prescribing New Drugs Study
Doctors Urged to Be Wary of Prescribing New Drugs Study Deadly side effects may not show up till long after approval
TUESDAY, April 30 (HealthScoutNews) — New research warns doctors to put off prescribing new drugs until they’re proven safe because dangerous side effects may stay hidden until long after the medicines are approved and on the market.
The scientists say seven drugs approved and then withdrawn by federal regulators since 1993 have been implicated in more than 1,000 deaths. Half of the recalls occurred within two years of the drugs’ debut. Meanwhile, 20 million Americans took at least one of the five compounds pulled from the market since 1997.
“”Unsafe drugs are being approved,”" says Dr. Karen Lasser, a Harvard University physician and lead author of the study, which appears in tomorrow’s Journal of the American Medical Association. “”The whole process has to be much more closely regulated.”"
Contributing to the problem, the researchers say, is potentially “”explosive”" sales volume and usage by patients, who are increasingly being wooed with direct-to-consumer advertisements.
However, officials at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which oversees the safety of the nation’s medicine chest, denies that its approval process is flawed. On the contrary, agency officials argue, the fact that post-marketing surveillance catches adverse reactions and leads to a relatively small number of withdrawals shows the system works well.
“”There clearly is nothing that’s going to prevent all recalls,”" says Dr. Robert Temple, an FDA official and co-author of an editorial accompanying the journal article. However, the agency is “”way better”" than it ever has been at avoiding them. Temple denies that priority review, in which regulators process a new drug application within six months, puts consumers at increased risk of harm.
Lasser and her colleagues, including consumer advocate Dr. Sidney Wolfe, of Public Citizen, combed through the Physicians’ Desk Reference between 1975 and 2000 for new “”black box”" warnings, the FDA’s strictest labeling advisories.
The Physician’s Desk Reference (PDR) is the Bible for doctors and other prescribers seeking safety information about drugs. The book, published by Thomson Medical Economics, is updated annually, with information collected by drug makers and approved by the FDA. Subscribers also receive twice-yearly supplements that record any labeling changes or drug recalls that occurred after the most recent edition went to press.
The FDA approved 548 new drug products between 1975 and 1999, according to the researchers. Of those, 56 (about 10 percent) were either withdrawn (16) or required at least one black box change. One drug needed six such revisions. The researchers project that over a 25-year period, any drug has a 20 percent chance of either being withdrawn or receiving a black box warning — a figure the FDA considers “”debatable”".
While many of the drugs that ran into trouble were breakthrough or lifesaving remedies, Lasser said many others were not. Four of the 16 that had to be pulled, for example, were nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), for which doctors have a wide range of well-established alternatives.
Liver toxicity is the chief reason drugs undergo major label changes or get removed from the market, although other common reasons include their propensity to cause heart problems, kidney failure, or birth defects.
Drug companies must conduct three phases of clinical trials before winning FDA approval for a new product. But these are typically small studies, involving an average of about 3,000 people in total. As a result, they may not be able to pick up rare risks that occur once in every 10,000 or 100,000 patients. On the other hand, Lasser says, many of the labeling changes and recall actions covered side effects that were known to regulators before they approved the products.
“”It’s true that sometimes an event is relatively rare, and you’re not going to pick it up,”" she says. “”But if the condition is benign, and there already is a safe, effective drug [on the market], we think the threshold should be much higher for approving”" a newcomer.
Temple called that prescription a “”throwaway”", and added that one obvious change — demanding much larger pre-approval clinical trials — would radically alter the way drugs are approved in this country. Drug makers claim it costs as much as $500 million to bring a drug to market, much of which comes from funding clinical trials.
However, he says, the FDA in the last decade has made two changes that significantly improve patient safety. The agency requires drug makers to analyze how their experimental compounds interact with other medicines, and it assesses how new drugs affect certain heart rhythms. “”I don’t expect us to be surprised, really ever, at least by the interactions we’re familiar with,”" he says.
Mukesh Mehta, who helps oversee the publication of the PDR, says he has noticed more labeling changes to drugs in the book in recent years. Yet, he couldn’t say if that reflected a trend in the pharmaceutical industry of pushing through more dangerous or poorly tested treatments.
How SupplementSpot’s Maximum Skin Lightener Erases Liver and Brown Spots
Liver Spots What They Are and How to Erase Them Liver Spots and brown or similar skin blemishes are what we all see as visual examples of aging skin. The most common skin conditions associated with aging skin are things like wrinkles, age spots, and leathery skin. However, these skin conditions are NOT the symptoms of aging, but rather the result of sun exposure. Changes that may be the result of aging include increased dryness, decreased sweating, and changes in hair growth and facial contours.
Liver spots are also known as age spots, brown spots, lentigo, and lipofuscin pigment. Many people also refer to liver spots as sun spots. Regardless, these brownish, yellowish spots are often first noticed on the arms and hands, then the face. They also appear, occasionally, on the chest, back, and less frequently on the legs and torso.
They are a result of your skin trying to protect itself from sun exposure by producing an overabundance of melanin. Melanin is the pigment in your skin responsible for splotchy or uneven tanning. Such brown or sun spots are poerfectly natural, although they can aand should be prevented by diligent skin care and careful, protected exposure to the sun.
Brown spots are visible pigmentary changes associated with mature and senile skin but the damage is not due to maturity, these spots and leathery skin are almost always the result of your body trying to protect itself from too much sun exposure.
The increased dark yellow, light brown, yellowish brown pigmentation or age spots may be brought on or increased by over exposure to the sun or other forms of ultraviolet light, bad health, problems with the liver functions, or other causes, both known and unknown.
Some of the alternative names for these maturity spots are sun-induced skin changes, senile lentigines; lentigos; brown spots, and skin spots-aging. Brown spots are extremely common after 55 years old. They occur most often on the backs of the hands, on the forearms, shoulder, face, and forehead. These are the areas of highest sun exposure. They are harmless and painless but may affect the cosmetic appearance.
Though most age spots are harmless blemishes, early stages of skin cancer can masquerade as innocent looking age spots. Your physician or a dermatologist should check any spot that enlarges, thickens, changes color, bleeds or itches. Irregular, dark spots that increase in size or change color or texture could be a warning about a potentially serious form of skin cancer. Have such changes checked immediately by a doctor.
If a person
Grape Antioxidants Make Subjects SupplementSpot
Grape Antioxidants Make Subject SupplementSpot December 19, 2003
The findings suggest that the drink could join blueberries and other polyphenol-rich fruits as an anti-ageing food. A blueberry-enriched antioxidant diet was recently found to prevent an age-related increase in the protein NF-kappaB that responds to oxidative stress, a probable cause of brain ageing.
The researchers, from the US department of agriculture’s Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging, subjected 45 mature rats approaching the end of their expected life spans to a range of tests and challenges commonly accepted as methods of measuring changes in short-term memory and neuro-motor skills.
“”Concord grape juice appeared to reduce or reverse the loss of sensitivity of muscarinic receptors, thus enhancing cognitive and some motor skills in the test animals. In many of the tests we saw significant improvements or trends toward improvement,”" reported James A. Joseph, lead researcher in the study, at the 1st International Conference on Polyphenols and Health held last month in Vichy, France.
The Concord grape is a dark-blue variety, native to North America, and used widely in juice and wine production. Like cranberries, the grape has been studied closely for its high antioxidant content. Its juice has been shown to lower blood pressure and daily consumption for just eight weeks significantly improved arterial function in a recent trial.
Joseph’s team used the Morris water maze to test memory. It is an age-sensitive challenge that requires animals to use spatial learning to find a platform submerged 2 cm below the surface of a pool of water. Rats fed a 10 per cent solution of Concord grape juice found the platform in roughly 20 per cent less time than the control group.
Other tests measured the animals’ ability to balance on a horizontal stationary rod; a rotating, slowly accelerating rod; and various sized planks, and their ability to hold onto a suspended wire and an inclined wire screen. Some of those tests saw improvements in either or both of the group consuming a 10 per cent solution of Concord grape juice and the group consuming a 50 per cent solution.
Joseph added that the findings were not surprising. “”We have seen similar effects in the work we’ve done in blueberries.”"
The researchers point to several factors as potential mechanisms of action, including increased dopamine production and a potent overall antioxidant effect.
“”As our population ages, we are continually looking for ways to maintain our mental and physical skills,”" said Joseph. “”While these laboratory animal studies are certainly preliminary and much more work needs to be done, we know that consuming high levels of natural dietary antioxidants is a good thing from a number of perspectives. And it appears that drinking Concord grape juice has the potential to help retard the mental and physical declines of ageing.”"
The pace of polyphenol research has increased rapidly over the past five years although clinical and epidemiological evidence of their protective effects is still limited and researchers are still working to establish optimal levels of intake. A growing number of new food products, designed as sources of polyphenols, are being introduced to target consumer interest in health.
Supplements That Reduce Stress
NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS THAT REDUCE AND HELP CONTROL MENTAL STRESS A number of nonprescription supplements have been shown to reduce mild to moderate anxiety. If you are taking any prescription medication for stress or depression, check with your doctor. If you do not have access to a physician, then refer to our <a href=”"drugdigest.html”" DRUG DIGEST that lists all known contraindications between drugs and herbs. Experiment with one remedy at a time. Reason: If you start taking several supplements and develop side effects, you won’t know which one is responsible.
Take the herbs listed below daily for three months and then take a two-week break. This strategy will minimize the potential for adverse effects and the risk of becoming psychologically dependent on them. Natural treatments to ease anxiety B vitamins The B vitamins - especially B6 and B12 - help regulate the body’s response to stress and maintain a healthy nervous system. What I recommend to my patients: Twice a day, take a vitamin B complex formula that contains at least 25mg of B6…and also contains 1mg of B12. Because these vitamins work best in combination with other nutrients, also take a multivitamin-mineral supplement twice a day.
Look for B12 in the form of hydroxocobalamin or methylcobalamin. They are better absorbed than the more commonly available cyanocobalamin.
Kava kava This herb is approved as an anxiety and insomnia treatment in many European countries. It can help relieve acute and chronic anxiety without making you feel drowsy or ‘fuzzy.’ Kava is as effective as serax - the benzodiazepine tranquilizer - for quelling anxiety but with no addictive potential.
Warning: Avoid kava if you drink alcohol or are taking benzodiazepines, such as Valium or Xanax…sleeping pills, such as Seconal or Halcion…or anti-depressants, such as Prozac or Zoloft. Do not take kava if you have Parkinson’s disease - it may worsen tremors. Saint-John’s-wort This herb works as an antidepressant. It also relieves chronic anxiety. You must take it for several weeks before you feel its effects. Research shows it lowers anxiety levels as well as Vallium does without fogging thinking. It decreases the uptake (rate of removal) of serotonin in the brain, thereby increasing serotonin levels, which induces calm feelings. It is not addictive and has few side effects.
Warnings: Don’t take Saint-John’s-wort if you’re on an antidepressant, particularly Nardil or Parnate. And - because Saint-John’s-wort may make you more sensitive to the sun, wear sunscreen when you are outdoors. Valerian This is a natural sedative - the most popular one used in Europe. It contains ingredients similar to those found in Vallium. It is useful for relieving anxiety because it helps you sleep. It isn’t addictive, nor does it make you feel groggy the next morning as sleeping pills can.
Warning: Don’t use valerian if you’re taking sedatives, such as phenobarbital or benzodiazepines.
OJ Fortified with Plant Sterols Lowers Cholesterol
Sterol-fortified OJ Lowers ‘Bad’ Cholesterol February 20, 2004 — University of California at Davis Plant sterols — recognized for their cholesterol-lowering power when added to margarines, salad dressings and other fats — are just as effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein, or “”bad”" cholesterol”" levels, when added to orange juice, say researchers. The results are based on a 10-week study of 72 healthy volunteers with mildly elevated cholesterol levels.
Orange juice fortified with plant sterols found to lower ‘bad’ cholesterol in healthy volunteers.
(SACRAMENTO, Calif.) — Plant sterols — recognized for their cholesterol-lowering power when added to margarines, salad dressings and other fats — are just as effective in reducing low-density lipoprotein, or “”bad”" cholesterol”" levels, when added to orange juice, say researchers at UC Davis School of Medicine and Medical Center.
The results, based on a 10-week study of 72 healthy volunteers with mildly elevated cholesterol levels, are published in the March 8 issue of the American Heart Association’s journal Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology (available online at http://www.atvbaha.org).
“”Lowering LDL cholesterol is a well-accepted means of reducing the likelihood of heart disease,”" said Sridevi Devaraj, an assistant professor of pathology and investigator in the Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research at UC Davis Medical Center who led the sterol study. “”Fortifying orange juice with plant sterols is an easy and effective way to boost a diet’s LDL-fighting power in individuals with mildly elevated cholesterol levels.
“”Fifty percent of Americans have mildly elevated cholesterol levels, defined as having a total cholesterol reading of more than 200 mg/dL. The inclusion of sterols in orange juice offers an important treatment option without increasing saturated fat and at the same time providing vitamin C, flavonoids and other essential nutrients.”"
The American Heart Association and National Cholesterol Education Program recommend a diet that is low in saturated fat and cholesterol and rich in soluble fiber and plant sterols to help individuals reduce their risk of heart disease. Sterols are present in small quantities in a variety of foods, including fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, cereals and legumes. Chemically similar to cholesterol, sterols are thought to lower LDL levels in the body by limiting absorption of cholesterol in the intestine. The UC Davis study is the first to show the cholesterol-reducing effects of plant sterols in a nonfat beverage.
For the study, the UC Davis researchers enrolled healthy volunteers ages 20 to 73 with mildly elevated cholesterol levels. The volunteers were asked to eat their normal diet but to drink a cup of juice along with whatever they had for breakfast and dinner. Half of the group had the sterol-fortified orange juice while the others drank regular orange juice by the same manufacturer. Fasting blood tests were taken before and after the study to determine total cholesterol, total triglyceride, LDL cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and apolipoprotein B levels.
“”Volunteers who drank the sterol-fortified orange juice had a 7.2-percent decrease in total cholesterol, 12.4-percent decrease in LDL cholesterol, and 7.8-percent decrease in non-high-density lipoprotein levels compared to baseline and to the group that received the non-sterol orange juice group,”" she said.
“”Orange juice has wide appeal since it is consumed by individuals of all ages, from early childhood to old age. And for individuals who do not want to take a drug for mildly elevated cholesterol, this may provide a healthy and attractive alternative.”"
Previous studies at other institutions have evaluated plant sterols in yogurt and other low-fat and non-fat foods, with variable results. The UC Davis study may be unique in that it did not place volunteers on a special diet and only asked that they drink the juice with their normal meals.
“”The fat in the meals may have helped to emulsify the sterols, but further research will need to be done to determine the meal’s relevance,”" said Ishwarlal Jialal, professor of pathology and internal medicine and director of the Laboratory for Atherosclerosis and Metabolic Research at UC Davis Medical Center. “”We also would like to investigate whether sterols can add to the LDL-reducing effects of statin drugs in higher-risk individuals. Sterol-fortified orange juice could potentially enable more patients to meet cholesterol level goals as outlined by the National Cholesterol Education Program.”"
SupplementSpot offers several supplements containing cholesterol lowering plant sterols. Learn more about them by clicking on the following links:
Ellagic Acid: Anti-Cancer Supplement
ELLAGIC ACID IS A POWERFUL ANTI-CANCER SUPPLEMENT SLOAN-KETTERING CLINICAL SUMMARY
A phenolic compound derived from ellagitannins commonly found in red raspberries, strawberries and walnuts. Ellagic acid has antiviral and antibacterial properties (1) (2). Recent studies have indicated that ellagic acid may have anticarcinogenic effects against liver, esophageal, prostate, and colorectal cancer cell lines (3) (4) (5) (6). Other studies have reported that ellagic acid is a potent antioxidant (1) (7). The anticancer properties of ellagic acid have not been established in humans. Ellagic acid obtained from dietary sources appears to be safe, but its long-term toxicity effects have not been evaluated. FOOD SOURCES Red raspberries, strawberries, terminalia chebula, pomegranates, walnuts. USES Cancer prevention CONSTITUENTS Ellagic acid. MECHANISM OF ACTION Ellagic acid appears to inhibit chemical-induced esophageal carcinogenesis in animals (8). It down-regulates insulin-like growth factor IGF-II (6) and activates p53/p21 expression, leading to cell cycle arrest at the G1/S phase and apoptosis (9). In vitro studies report that ellagic acid protects cells from oxidative DNA damage caused by hydrogen peroxide and bleomycin (7). Ellagic acid
Scientists Probe Drug-Supplement Interactions
Scientists Probe Drug-Supplement Interactions March 24, 2004
Note: SupplementSpot clients and visitors have access to Drug Digest which is a comprehensive description of over 10,000 drug-herb-vitamin interactions. Go to DRUG and SUPPLEMENT DIGEST.
The growing use of dietary supplements has caused alarm in recent months among the medical community who fear dangerous interactions with prescription medicines. But a new study concludes that most potential drug-supplement interactions are not serious.
As dietary supplements gain widespread popularity for a number of preventive and treatment uses, researchers have sought to underline that their use, generally not reported to doctors, could lead to serious side effects when taken along with prescription medications. But a team from the University of Pittsburgh looking at both the incidence and severity of potential interactions between prescription medications and dietary supplements in a US patient population found that most of the interactions — approximately 94 per cent — were not serious, based on limited available evidence. They report on the study in the latest issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine (164:630-636).
“”This is encouraging news for the millions of patients currently taking prescription medications along with dietary supplements. However, limited information on drug-dietary interactions exists and health care providers should continue to inquire about dietary supplement use and consider the potential for interactions, regardless of their severity,”" said Lauren E. Trilli, assistant professor at the university’s department of pharmacy and therapeutics.
The researchers surveyed 458 outpatients visiting two veterans affairs medical centers — one located in Los Angeles and the other in Pittsburgh. Because herbal supplements are more frequently used in the western half of the United States, the researchers wanted to compare results from a west coast and east coast location.
The survey participants were asked about their use of common herbal supplements, including chondroitin, coenzyme Q10, echinacea, garlic, gingko biloba, ginseng, glucosamine, saw palmetto, St. Johns Wort or vitamins. The data was cross-referenced with prescription of medications. Potential interactions were identified from various sources and medical searches.
All 458 patients surveyed were prescribed prescription medications, with an average of seven oral prescriptions per patient in Pittsburgh and six oral prescriptions per patient in Los Angeles. Of these patients, 197 or 43 per cent were taking at least one dietary supplement and the average consumption was three dietary supplements per day.
Among the patients taking supplements, 48 per cent of the Pittsburgh patients and 43 per cent of the Los Angeles patients had potential drug-dietary supplement interactions of any significance. Most patients had one or two possible drug-dietary supplement interactions, with seven patients in Pittsburgh and 12 in Los Angeles having more than three potential drug-dietary supplement interactions.
Most of the potential interactions found were with ginseng, garlic, gingko biloba and coenzyme Q.
“”Our findings help provide a context for ongoing discussions about the risks of drug-dietary supplement interactions and raise concerns regarding subsequent adverse events,”" said Chester B. Good, associate professor of pharmacy and medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine.
A much larger and broader patient sample is recommended for future studies to better quantify the incidence of potentially severe interactions and identify which persons may be at high risk for such events, he added.
Cancer Preventing Compounds: Resveratrol and DIM
Resveratrol, Brocolli Extract Potent Cancer Prevention July 15, 2005 A new study by the University of Chicago College of Pharmacy finds that eating broccoli and drinking an occasional glass of red wine may help prevent cancer.
Researchers believe the compounds responsible for instigating anti-cancer defenses in the body are Di-Indolyl Methane or DIM in broccoli and resveratrol in red wine.
Andrew Mesecar, the study’s lead author, explained the compounds help fight cancer by “”By signaling our bodies to ramp up the production of proteins capable of preventing [cancer causing] damage to our DNA.”"
Researchers believe the two compounds found in broccoli and red wine affect two key proteins in the body’s cancer defense mechanism. The first protein, Keap1, typically reacts with a second protein, Nrf2, by binding to it when it senses the presence of dietary compounds after ingestion.
Unfortuantely, the binding prevents the Nrf2 protein from turning on protective proteins in genes that avert DNA damage that lead to cancer.
By preventing the Keap1 protein from binding to Nrf2, the compounds found in broccoli and red wine help Nrf2 complete its job without complications, thus improving the body’s defense against cancer.
Upon the conclusion of the research, Mesecar suggests, “”One way of preventing cancer may be to eat certain foods rich in cancer-preventing compounds.”"