A POPULAR ingredient found in multivitamin nutritional supplements and everyday foods could encourage the spread of cancer, experts have warned.
Limiting consumption of an essential mineral could be key in controlling breast cancer, according to a new study.
4
Selenium, a popular multivitamin supplement, has been found to promote the spread of cancerCredit: Getty
4
Limiting the antioxidant effects of selenium could prevent the spread of triple-negative breast cancerCredit: Getty
Selenium is vital for the body to stay healthy – it offers antioxidant protection, helps maintain thyroid function, supports the immune system, helps prevent cognitive decline, and aids hair growth.
But new research funded by Cancer Research UK says that limiting its antioxidant effects could prevent the spread of triple-negative breast cancer.
Triple-negative breast cancer can be difficult to treat, but can often be controlled with therapy and surgery.
If it spreads to other parts of the body, it may become inoperable.
The nutrient is found in Brazil nuts, meat, mushrooms and grains.
Selenium was thought to be useful in fighting cancer cells.
But new research suggests that cancer cells have a high need for selenium, especially when they are sparse, far from densely packed cell clusters.
Once packed together, triple-negative breast cancer cells produce a type of fat molecule containing oleic acid (commonly found in olive oil) that protects them from a type of cell death called ferroptosis that was caused by my selenium starvation.
The research, published in EMBO molecular medicineshows when triple-negative breast cancer cells are not grouped together, for example when they do not move to other parts of the body, they cannot survive without selenium.
When a research team at Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow interfered with the metabolism of selenium in these rare cancer cells, they discovered that it could kill these cells, especially those that wanted to spread to the lungs.
New £4 saliva test ‘could help detect breast cancer in five seconds from a single drop of saliva’
Research leader Dr Saverio Tardito, from the Scottish Institute of Cancer Research in Glasgow, now from the Center for Cancer Research at the Medical University of Vienna, said: “We need selenium to survive so removing it from our diet is not an option.
“However, if we can find a treatment that interferes with the uptake of this mineral in triple-negative breast cancer cells, we could potentially prevent this cancer from spreading to other parts of the body.
“Breast cancer is usually not fatal as it can often be successfully managed with treatment or surgery; when cancer spreads, it becomes more difficult to control.
“Because triple-negative breast cancer has fewer treatments to control it, finding a new way to stop it from spreading could be life-saving.”
Research like this could be key to preventing this type of cancer from spreading, and it would have a transformative effect on the way this disease is treated.
dr. Sam Godfrey Head of Scientific Engagement for Cancer Research UK
Triple-negative breast cancer can be caused by an error in the BRCA genes that increases the chance of developing certain types of cancer, including breast cancer.
A staggering 70 percent of women with faulty BRCA1 or BRCA2 genes will develop breast cancer by age 80.
Triple-negative breast cancers lack receptors for the hormones estrogen and progesterone or a protein called human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2).
Treatments for other types of breast cancer target these receptors and, since they are not present in triple-negative breast cancer, they are not effective for patients with this form of the disease.
‘I discovered I carried the wrong BRCA gene at 27’
Lisa Bancroft, from Dunfermline, Fife, who discovered she had the genetic fault aged just 27, welcomed the research.
She chose preventive surgery to remove both breasts and now, at the age of 32, she is still cancer free.
She said: “Research like this, which potentially gives people with triple-negative breast cancer more treatment options, offers so much hope.
“Medical science is making great strides forward. For me, the research that revealed the potentially catastrophic implications of carrying a faulty BRCA gene so many years ago changed the course of my life.
“I found out that I have an increased risk of developing cancer because my aunt and dad were diagnosed with the disease and underwent genetic testing because of it.”
Unfortunately, both Lisa’s dad and her aunt died of cancer, and her aunt died of triple negative breast cancer.
At the time of the operation, Lisa’s daughter was only two years old and is thinking about her future.
Lisa said: “When she is old enough, my daughter Emma will also have to decide whether to go for genetic testing to see if she is infected.
“Medical science is advancing so quickly, so I hope that by the time that happens, it will be a completely different world.
“Of course, I hope this doesn’t affect Emma at all – there’s a 50 percent chance she doesn’t carry the wrong genetic mutation and won’t have to deal with the consequences.
“However, if Emma really does have an increased risk of cancer, then I really hope there will be so many more options for her to choose from. Hopefully by then it won’t be as big a deal as it is now.”
Since recovering from surgery, Lisa has co-founded the charity BRCA+ Chat, providing emotional support to people who discover they carry the BRCA gene mutation.
Lisa added, “My father’s legacy empowered me with the knowledge I needed to take preventative action to reduce my risk of cancer.”
Around 56,800 people in the UK are diagnosed with breast cancer each year, and an estimated 15 per cent of those diagnosed have triple-negative breast cancer.
Cancer Research UK’s head of scientific engagement, Dr Sam Godfrey, said: “Outcomes for patients with triple negative breast cancer can be worse than for other cancers.
“Research like this could be key to preventing the spread of this type of cancer, and it would have a transformative effect on the way this disease is treated.
“We are delighted to fund innovative research that can lead to fascinating discoveries.
“These discoveries are the building blocks on which future treatments are built and could prove crucial in giving hope to those affected by this and other forms of cancer.”
4
Selenium is found in Brazil nuts, meat, mushrooms and grains Credit: Alamy
4
Research leader Dr Saverio Tardito says it is vital to find a treatment that interferes with the uptake of selenium into cancer cellsCredit: PA
Categories: Optical Illusion
Source: HIS Education