Tag Archives: cancer

Alcohol causes cancer, and here’s the evidence:

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Alcohol causes at least seven types of cancer
 

“Alcohol causes cancer, and here’s the evidence… Many of us are aware of the short-term effects of drinking too much – feeling sick, a hangover, a spot of embarrassment, a vague but hard-to-pin-down sense of guilt – but the long-term effects often slip under the radar. These include a higher risk of many cancers, heart disease, stroke and more.”   http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2010/01/28/alcohol-and-cancer-the-evidence/   

“ALCOHOL AND CANCER… Epidemiological data have identified chronic alcohol consumption as a significant risk factor for upper alimentary tract cancer, including cancer of the oropharynx, larynx and the oesophagus and of the liver.” http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/39/3/155.long

“Molecular mechanisms of alcohol-mediated carcinogenesis… Although the mechanisms for alcohol-associated carcinogenesis are not completely understood, most recent research has focused on acetaldehyde, the first and most toxic ethanol metabolite, as a cancer-causing agent. Ethanol may also stimulate carcinogenesis… Alcohol-related carcinogenesis may interact with other factors such as smoking, diet and comorbidities, and depends on genetic susceptibility.” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/17646865

“Liver cancer and alcohol… Based on the association of alcohol with cancer, a International Agency for Research on Cancer working group recently deemed alcoholic beverages “carcinogenic to humans,” causally related to occurrence of malignant tumors of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, esophagus, liver, colorectum, and female breast.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23101985

“Alcohol and pancreatic cancer… heavy alcohol consumption has been known to be a major cause of chronic pancreatitis and a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus, both of which are linked to pancreatic cancer.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16054982

“Alcohol drinking and colorectal cancer risk: an overall and dose–response meta-analysis of published studies… The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) concluded that alcohol consumption is related to colorectal cancer (CRC)… This meta-analysis provides strong evidence for an association between alcohol drinking of >1 drink/day and colorectal cancer risk.”  http://annonc.oxfordjournals.org/content/22/9/1958.long

“Alcohol consumption and the risk of breast cancer… Epidemiologic studies addressing the association of alcohol consumption with breast cancer consistently suggest a modest association and a dose-response relationship… Data from a variety of epidemiologic studies suggest that chronic alcohol consumption even in moderate amounts increases a woman’s risk for breast cancer… Epidemiologic data further suggest that consumption of larger amounts of alcohol is associated with a higher risk of breast cancer…  Avoiding overconsumption of alcohol is recommended, especially for women with known risk factors for breast cancer.”  http://www.scielosp.org/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S0036-36342011000500012&lng=en&nrm=iso&tlng=en 

“Alcohol consumption and digestive tract cancer…  data indicating that alcohol is an important factor increasing the risk to develop gastrointestinal cancer are consolidating… Functional genetic variants of alcohol-metabolizing enzymes proved to be associated with increased risk for esophageal and gastric cancer… Alcohol overconsumption is a serious avoidable risk factor for the development of gastrointestinal tract cancer, both alone but even more in combination with other risk factors such as tobacco and obesity.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22797570

“Cancer stem cells generated by alcohol, diabetes, and HCV”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3306127/

“Epidemiology and Pathophysiology of Alcohol and Breast Cancer: Update 2012… Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for cancer of various organs including the upper alimentary tract, the liver, the colorectum and the female breast… Women should not exceed one drink/day, and women at elevated risk for breast cancer should avoid alcohol or consume alcohol occasionally only.”  http://alcalc.oxfordjournals.org/content/47/3/204.long

“Human carcinogenesis and alcohol in hepato-gastroenterology… Alcohol consumption is one of the top-10 risks for worldwide burden of disease. The International Agency for Research for Cancer affirmed that there was evidence for the carcinogenicity of ethanol in animals and classified alcohol consumption as carcinogenic for humans. Alcohol consumption causes cancers of the oral cavity, pharynx, larynx, oesophagus, colorectum, liver, pancreas and female breast…”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22696879 

“The Burden of Cancer Attributable to Alcohol Consumption… All types of alcoholic beverages are associated with an increased risk which suggests that ethanol itself is the crucial compound which causes that effect… In our opinion, there are not enough data to support the actually safe intake of alcohol. Any level of alcohol consumption increase the risk of developing an alcohol related cancer.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3391950/ 

“Tobacco smoking, alcohol drinking and risk of oral cavity cancer by subsite: results of a French population-based case-control study, the ICARE study…  Tobacco smoking increased the risk of oral cavity cancer even for the smaller quantities and durations, whereas alcohol drinking increased this risk only in heavy drinkers who were also ever smokers. The combined effect of smoking and drinking was greater than multiplicative…”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22976386

“Alcohol-Attributable Cancer Deaths and Years of Potential Life Lost in the United States. Objectives: Our goal was to provide current estimates of alcohol-attributable cancer mortality and years of potential life lost (YPLL) in the United States. Results: Alcohol consumption resulted in an estimated 18,200 to 21,300 cancer deaths, or 3.2% to 3.7% of all US cancer deaths. Conclusions: Alcohol remains a major contributor to cancer mortality and YPLL. Higher consumption increases risk but there is no safe threshold for alcohol and cancer risk. Reducing alcohol consumption is an important and underemphasized cancer prevention strategy.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3673233/

“Ethanol-mediated promotion of oesophageal carcinogenesis: association with lipid peroxidation and changes in phospholipid fatty acid profile of the target tissue… Ethanol consumption is a high risk factor for oesophageal carcinoma…  ethanol may promote carcinogenesis through excessive cell proliferation…”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/9199722

“Ethanol-mediated carcinogenesis in the human esophagus implicates CYP2E1 induction and the generation of carcinogenic DNA-lesions… Chronic alcohol consumption is a major risk factor for esophageal cancer… Ethanol exerts its carcinogenic effect in the liver among others via the induction of cytochrome P450 2E1 (CYP2E1) and the generation of carcinogenic etheno-DNA adducts…” http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20715111

“Ethanol enhances tumor angiogenesis in vitro induced by low-dose arsenic in colon cancer cells through hypoxia-inducible factor 1 alpha pathway… Arsenic has been known to induce carcinogenesis and enhance tumor development via complex and unclear mechanism. Ethanol is also a well-established risk factor for many malignancies…We conclude that ethanol is able to enhance arsenic-induced tumor angiogenesis in colorectal cancer cells…”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22872060

“Ethanol-induced mast cell-mediated inflammation leads to increased susceptibility of intestinal tumorigenesis in the APC Δ468 min mouse model of colon cancer… Chronic and frequent alcohol (ethanol [EtOH]) intake has been associated with an increased incidence of several types of cancers including breast, mouth, throat, esophageal, stomach, and colorectal (CRC). The underlying mechanism of this deleterious carcinogenic effect of alcohol has not been clearly established… Our data show that chronic alcohol intake promotes: (i) intestinal tumorigenesis and tumor invasion in genetically susceptible mice; (ii) increases in polyp-associated mast cells; and (iii) mast cell-mediated tumor migration in vitro. Both our in vivo and in vitro studies suggest that mast cell-mediated inflammation could be 1 mechanism by which alcohol promotes carcinogenesis.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23320800

“Ethanol Promotes Chemically Induced Oral Cancer in Mice through Activation of the 5-Lipoxygenase Pathway of Arachidonic Acid Metabolism… Alcohol drinking is a known risk factor for oral cancer in humans… this study clearly demonstrated that ethanol promoted 4NQO-induced oral carcinogenesis…”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3208736/

“Ethanol Disrupts Vascular Endothelial Barrier: Implication in Cancer Metastasis… ethanol exposure enhances tumor progression. Ethanol exposure promotes cancer cell invasion and is implicated in tumor metastasis…Our results indicate that ethanol may facilitate cancer metastasis by disrupting the vascular endothelial barrier.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3327869/

“Ethanol Promotes Mammary Tumor Growth and Angiogenesis: the Involvement of Chemoattractant Factor MCP-1… Alcohol consumption is a risk factor for breast cancer in humans. Experimental studies indicate that alcohol exposure promotes malignant progression of mammary tumors… Ethanol promotes mammary tumor growth and metastasis… A causal role was recently attributed to inflammation in many malignant diseases, including breast cancer… It has been demonstrated that alcohol induces pro-inflammatory mediators, and enhanced inflammation may underlie many diseases or disorders caused by alcohol abuse…”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3323664/

“Alcohol drinking, consumption patterns and breast cancer among Danish nurses: a cohort study… these data suggest, that weekly alcohol consumption increases the risk of breast cancer in women reporting alcohol consumption above the average for women in general. The risk is minor for moderate levels of weekly alcohol intake, but increases for each extra drink consumed. Weekend consumption and binge drinking seem to be related to an additional increased risk of breast cancer.”  http://eurpub.oxfordjournals.org/content/17/6/624.long

“Alcohol intake, type of beverage, and risk of breast cancer in pre- and postmenopausal women… Most studies of the relation between alcohol consumption and breast cancer have shown a modestly increased risk… CONCLUSIONS: Total alcohol intake of more than 27 drinks per week increases breast cancer risk in premenopausal women independently of the type of alcohol. Among postmenopausal women, an intake of spirits of more than six drinks per week increases breast cancer risk.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15252295

“Moderate alcohol consumption during adult life, drinking patterns, and breast cancer risk… Relative risks of developing invasive breast cancer… Low levels of alcohol consumption were associated with a small increase in breast cancer risk, with the most consistent measure being cumulative alcohol intake throughout adult life. Alcohol intake both earlier and later in adult life was independently associated with risk… higher consumption of alcohol has been associated with an increased risk of breast cancer…”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3292347/

“Moderate alcohol consumption and breast cancer in women: from epidemiology to mechanisms and interventions… Epidemiologic studies indicate that moderate alcohol consumption increases breast cancer risk in women… In this commentary, we focus on some recent epidemiologic studies linking moderate alcohol consumption to breast cancer risk and place the results of those studies within the framework of our current understanding of the temporal and mechanistic basis of human carcinogenesis. This analysis supports the hypothesis that alcohol acts as a weak cumulative breast carcinogen and may also be a tumor promoter.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23072454

“Light alcohol drinking and cancer: a meta-analysis… There is convincing evidence that alcohol consumption increases the risk of cancer… We evaluated the association between light drinking and cancer of the colorectum, breast, larynx, liver, esophagus, oral cavity and pharynx… CONCLUSIONS: Light drinking increases the risk of cancer of oral cavity and pharynx, esophagus and female breast.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22910838

“Alcohol-related diseases and carcinogenesis…  Data are presented demonstrating the induction, by chronic ethanol consumption, of microsomal enzymes which convert procarcinogens to carcinogens… The hypothesis is presented that ethanol-mediated induction of enzyme systems which activate procarcinogens to carcinogens in various tissues contributes to the enhanced incidence of cancer in the alcoholic.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/221110

“The Role of Cytochrome P450 2E1 in Ethanol-Mediated Carcinogenesis… there is increasing evidence that CYP2E1 induced by chronic alcohol consumption plays an important role in alcohol mediated carcinogenesis.”  http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23400919 

The Active Ingredient in Cannabis can Help Patients Regain Appetite and Sense of Taste Preventing Anorexia

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“For most cancer patients it has always been thought that the only purpose cannabis provided was to act as a painkiller a recent study has suggested that it can also help the patient regain their appetite and sense of taste. If this is true for cancer patients one must wonder if it is true for AIDS patients and patients with other conditions that allow the use of cannabis as a treatment option.”

cannabis.jpg
 

“Preventing Anorexia

In situations such as cancer and AIDS, patient’s anorexia is a common result for the lack of eating and poor nutrition. Although, anorexia is classified as a mental health condition as you can clearly see there is more than one way to become anorexic. By consuming a product (usually a dessert or candy that is made with cannabis) the patient can enjoy a delicious treat while increasing their appetites.

Possible Treatment for Anorexia

An anorexic also loses their appetite as the stomach shrinks and when food is not consumed for long periods of time the taste buds also decline. We are not suggestion people with anorexia should start smoking cannabis but further research into this area of treatment for anorexics is worth studying.

Conclusion

The original study is for cancer patients and the results showed an increase in the patients appetites and the study is worthy of further study for other conditions including anorexia.”

http://www.eatingdisordersonline.com/news/treatment/the-active-ingredient-in-cannabis-can-help-patients-regain-appetite-and-sense-of 

Preparation and characterization of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol-loaded biodegradable polymeric microparticles and their antitumoral efficacy on cancer cell lines.

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“Cannabinoids present an interesting therapeutic potential as antiemetics, appetite stimulants in debilitating diseases (cancer, AIDS and multiple sclerosis), analgesics, and in the treatment of multiple sclerosis and cancer, among other conditions.

However, despite their high clinical potential, only few dosage forms are available to date. In this paper, the development of Δ9-tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) biodegradable microspheres as an alternative delivery system for cannabinoid parenteral administration is proposed. Tetrahydrocannabinol was encapsulated into biodegradable microspheres by the oil-in-water (o/w) emulsion solvent evaporation method. Several formulations were prepared using different drug:polymer ratios. The influence of antioxidant (α-tocopherol acetate) concentration on the release of THC from the microparticles was studied. Elevated process yield and entrapment efficiencies were achieved.The in vitro drug release studies showed that the encapsulated drug was released over a two week period.

 As THC has shown therapeutic potential as anticancer drug, the efficacy of the microspheres was tested on different cancer cell lines.

 Interestingly, the microspheres were able to inhibit cancer cell proliferation during the nine-day study period.

 All the above results suggest that the use of biodegradable microspheres would be a suitable alternative delivery system for THC administration.”

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23773072

Turned-Off Cannabinoid Receptor Turns on Colorectal Tumor Growth – MDAnderson

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“Researchers find CB1 suppresses tumors, a new potential path for treatment, prevention.”

 “New preclinical research shows that cannabinoid cell surface receptor CB1 plays a tumor-suppressing role in human colorectal cancer, scientists report in the Aug. 1 edition of the journal Cancer Research.

CB1 is well-established for relieving pain and nausea, elevating mood and stimulating appetite by serving as a docking station for the cannabinoid group of signaling molecules. It now may serve as a new path for cancer prevention or treatment.

“Potential application of cannabinoids as anti-tumor drugs is an exciting prospect, because cannabinoid agonists are being evaluated now to treat the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy,” DuBois said.

 “Turning CB1 back on and then treating with a cannabinoid agonist could provide a new approach to colorectal cancer treatment or prevention.”

Cannabinoids are a group of ligands that serve a variety of cell-signaling roles. Some are produced by the body internally (endocannabinoids). External cannabinoids include manmade versions and those present in plants, most famously the active ingredient in marijuana (THC).”

More:  http://www.mdanderson.org/newsroom/news-releases/2008/turned-off-cannabinoid-receptor-turns-on-colorectal-tumor-growth.html

Cannabis Ingredient Can Help Cancer Patients Regain Their Appetites And Sense Of Taste

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“The active ingredient in cannabis can improve the appetites and sense of taste in cancer patients, according to a new study published online in the cancer journal, Annals of Oncology  today.

Loss of appetite is common among cancer patients, either because the cancer itself or its treatment affects the sense of taste and smell, leading to decreased enjoyment of food. This, in turn, can lead to weight loss, anorexia, a worse quality of life and decreased survival; therefore, finding effective ways of helping patients to maintain a good diet and consume enough calories is an important aspect of their treatment.

The majority of THC-treated patients (64%) had increased appetite, three patients (27%) showed no change, and one patient’s data was incomplete. No THC-treated patients showed a decrease in appetite. By contrast, the majority of patients receiving placebo had either decreased appetite (50%) or showed no change (20%).

Although there was no difference in the total number of calories consumed by both groups, the THC-treated patients tended to increase the proportion of protein that they ate, and 55% reported that savoury foods tasted better, whereas no patients in the placebo group reported an increased liking for these foods. (Cancer patients often find that meat smells and tastes unpleasant and, therefore, they eat less of it).

In addition, THC-treated patients reported better quality of sleep and relaxation than in the placebo group.”

More:  http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/217062.php

Cannabidiol (CBD): Fighting Inflammation & Aggressive Forms of Cancer

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“Marijuana contains at least 60 known chemicals called cannabinoids, which activate cannabinoid receptors in your body. Tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC, is the main component responsible for the psychoactive effects, or “high,” marijuana is known for. While THC is known to have some medicinal value, there has been recent investigation into a new cannabinoid that is rumored to have more medicinal benefits than any single pharmaceutical drug on the market.”

“What is Cannabidiol (CBD)?

This cannabinoid is known as Cannabidiol (CBD), and is the second most abundant cannabinoid in cannabis. Research done by G.W. Pharmaceuticals suggests that CBD could be used for treating symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases, diabetes, nausea, bowel disorders, and many other hard-to-control side effects. According to an article from Projectcbd.com, CBD has even demonstrated neuroprotective effects, and its anti-cancer potential is currently being explored.

While it was originally believed that THC is a breakdown product of CBD, it is now known that both THC and CBD are actually metabolites of their decarboxylated acidic forms, THCa and CBDa. These acidic precursors are decarboxylated (essentially dried) by heat or extraction to produce THC and CBD; only then do they become psychoactive. The compound has medicinal benefits without the “high” that some patients do not desire. This makes CBD appealing to patients who are looking for an alternative to their current meds, which often have opiate-like effects.”

More: http://www.medicaljane.com/2012/12/20/cannabidiol-cbd-medicine-of-the-future/

THC Can Prevent Brain Damage – Study

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“Marijuana became popular as a recreational drug and as its legalization movement became more popular, studies were conducted on its therapeutic properties. Medical cannabis is often used by sufferers of chronic ailments, including cancer and post-traumatic stress disorder, to combat pain, insomnia, lack of appetite, and other symptoms. But self-reported milder symptoms often claim that only marijuana helps…

Prof. Yosef Sarne in the Department of Physiology and Pharmacology at Tel Aviv University says that the drug can go beyond symptoms – it also has neuroprotective qualities. He has found that extremely low doses of THC — the psychoactive component of marijuana — protects the brain from long-term cognitive damage in the wake of injury from hypoxia (lack of oxygen), seizures, or toxic drugs…

The use of THC can prevent long-term cognitive damage that results from brain injury, the researchers conclude…

According to Sarne, there are several practical benefits to this treatment plan. Due to the long therapeutic time window, this treatment can be used not only to treat injury after the fact, but also to prevent injury that might occur in the future. For example, cardiopulmonary heart-lung machines used in open heart surgery carry the risk of interrupting the blood supply to the brain, and the drug can be delivered beforehand as a preventive measure. In addition, the low dosage makes it safe for regular use in patients at constant risk of brain injury, such as epileptics or people at a high risk of heart attack.

Sarne is now working with Prof. Edith Hochhauser of the Rabin Medical Center to test the ability of low doses of THC to prevent damage to the heart. Preliminary results indicate that they will find the same protective phenomenon in relation to cardiac ischemia, in which the heart muscle receives insufficient blood flow.”

More: http://www.science20.com/news_articles/thc_can_prevent_brain_damage_study-113512

Marijuana May Help Fight Brain Damage

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“Marijuana may actually help protect the brain against injury, a new study suggests.”

marijuana, cannabis, drug, addiction, weed

“While marijuana is most commonly known as a recreational drug, an increasingly number of studies show that the plant has many therapeutic qualities like relieving pain, insomnia, lack of appetite and other symptoms associated with conditions like cancer and PTSD.

Now a new study reveals that very low doses of Tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), the psychoactive ingredient in marijuana, may protect the brain from long-term cognitive damage in the wake of injury from hypoxia, seizures or toxic drugs.”

More: http://www.counselheal.com/articles/5586/20130530/marijuana-help-fight-brain-damage.htm

Cannabinoids Attenuate Cancer Pain and Proliferation in a Mouse Model

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“Oral cancer represents 3% of all cancers and its overall survival rate of 50% places it among the worst of all cancers

For many years cannabinoids have been used for medicinal and recreational purposes.

Recently, studies have focused on the therapeutic effects of cannabinoids on different cancers. The current study was the first to investigate the therapeutic effects of synthetic cannabinoids on oral cancer.

We investigated the effects of cannabinoid receptor agonists on (1) oral cancer cell viability in vitro and (2) oral cancer pain and tumor growth in a mouse cancer model.

Here we demonstrate the anti-nociceptive and anti-proliferative effects of systemic administration of cannabinoid receptor agonists on human oral cancer cells.

Our results suggest that systemic administration of cannabinoids decease oral cancer pain.

Our findings suggest a direct role for cannabinoid mechanisms in oral cancer pain and proliferation.

The systemic administration of cannabinoid receptor agonists may have important therapeutic implications wherein cannabinoid receptor agonists may reduce morbidity and mortality of oral cancer.

The present findings suggest that cannabinoid treatment may be a promising alternative therapy for oral cancer pain management. Furthermore, CBr2 agonism is not only palliative, but it may also be effective in inhibiting oral cancer growth, making the agonist a particularly desirable therapeutic agent.”

Full Text: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3099480/

Fighting Cancer: Another Study Reveals the Cannabis and Cancer Prevention Link

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“Does marijuana cause cancer? Revealing the link between cannabis and cancer yet again, researchers with the California Pacific Medical Center in San Francisco have released findings that further bolster cannabis as an anti-cancer solution.
The researchers have found a compound in the much-talked-about plant could “halt the spread” of many types of aggressive cancers, including breast cancer.

The Cannabis and Cancer Link

Cannabidiol is the compound, and while it fights cancer cells, it does not produce the high feelings commonly associated with cannabis. Instead, it seems to “switch off” the gene responsible for metastasizing breast cancer.

They reportedly found the compound doesn’t only stop the breast cancer cells from growing, but even causes them to return back to normal cells, cancer-free.”

More: http://naturalsociety.com/study-positive-cannabis-and-cancer-link/