A common ingredient in curry could help target chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells, scientists said today. Scientists at the University of Leicester have been using curcumin - an extract of root turmeric, commonly used to spice up curries - to target chemo-resistant cells. They hope the ingredient will not only improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy but also reduce the number of chemo-resistant cells, helping to prevent the disease returning. Funded by Hope Against Cancer, researchers at the university's Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine are using tissue from tumours extracted from patients undergoing surgery. The aim is to use curcumin to target chemo-resistant cells in colorectal tumour tissue.Colorectal cancer accounts for more than 600,000 deaths a year and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the western world. Dr Karen Brown, a reader at the university, is the principal investigator of the new research, which is also being led by Dr Lynne Howells, from the university's Chemoprevention and Biomarkers Group. Dr Brown said: 'Following treatment for cancer, small populations of cancer cells often remain which are responsible for disease returning. 'These cells appear to have different properties to the bulk of cells within a tumour, making them resistant to chemotherapy. Previous laboratory research has shown that curcumin, from turmeric, has not only improved the effectiveness of chemotherapy but has also reduced the number of chemo-resistant cells, which has implications in preventing the disease returning. We hope that our work will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which curcumin targets resistant cells in tumours. It should also help us identify those patient populations who are most likely to benefit from curcumin treatment in the future.' Turmeric, part of the ginger family, is best known as an orange/yellow powder used as a spice for curries, but has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. (Daily Mail)Wednesday 29 September 2010
Curry powder targets cancer cells resistant to chemotherapy
A common ingredient in curry could help target chemotherapy-resistant cancer cells, scientists said today. Scientists at the University of Leicester have been using curcumin - an extract of root turmeric, commonly used to spice up curries - to target chemo-resistant cells. They hope the ingredient will not only improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy but also reduce the number of chemo-resistant cells, helping to prevent the disease returning. Funded by Hope Against Cancer, researchers at the university's Department of Cancer Studies and Molecular Medicine are using tissue from tumours extracted from patients undergoing surgery. The aim is to use curcumin to target chemo-resistant cells in colorectal tumour tissue.Colorectal cancer accounts for more than 600,000 deaths a year and is the third leading cause of cancer deaths in the western world. Dr Karen Brown, a reader at the university, is the principal investigator of the new research, which is also being led by Dr Lynne Howells, from the university's Chemoprevention and Biomarkers Group. Dr Brown said: 'Following treatment for cancer, small populations of cancer cells often remain which are responsible for disease returning. 'These cells appear to have different properties to the bulk of cells within a tumour, making them resistant to chemotherapy. Previous laboratory research has shown that curcumin, from turmeric, has not only improved the effectiveness of chemotherapy but has also reduced the number of chemo-resistant cells, which has implications in preventing the disease returning. We hope that our work will lead to a better understanding of the mechanisms through which curcumin targets resistant cells in tumours. It should also help us identify those patient populations who are most likely to benefit from curcumin treatment in the future.' Turmeric, part of the ginger family, is best known as an orange/yellow powder used as a spice for curries, but has been used for medicinal purposes for centuries. (Daily Mail)