Evening Primrose Extract Acts on Invasive Mesothelioma Cells, Study Shows
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Evening Primrose Extract Acts on Invasive Mesothelioma Cells, Study Shows

There is new evidence that compounds found in the seeds of the evening primrose plant have the potential to slow the growth and spread of mesothelioma.  Researchers in Poland extracted key compounds from the seeds using alcohol. They applied the extract (EPE) to malignant pleural mesothelioma cells in the lab.  Evening primrose extract seemed to have the biggest effect on the most invasive mesothelioma cells. The more EPE the researchers used, the greater the impact. The study suggests there may be a future role for evening primrose in mesothelioma therapy. What is Evening Primrose? The evening primrose is a plant with yellow flowers. Its seeds contain a range of polyphenols including ellagic acid, gallic acid, and catechin.  Oil extracted from…

Vitamin D3 May Slow the Spread of Pleural Mesothelioma, Study Shows
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Vitamin D3 May Slow the Spread of Pleural Mesothelioma, Study Shows

A study conducted in Italy suggests that Vitamin D3 might help keep mesothelioma cells from growing and spreading. The biologically active form of Vitamin D is calcitriol or D3. Other studies suggest it might have anticancer properties. But no one has studied its effect on mesothelioma cells until now.  The researchers applied Vitamin D3 to pleural mesothelioma cells in the lab. Not only did it weaken the cells, but it also blocked their ability to divide into new cells. The study suggests that Vitamin D may even boost the effectiveness of mesothelioma chemotherapy. The Cancer-Fighting Role of Calcitriol The body naturally produces calcitriol. It plays a role in regulating the cell cycle, including apoptosis or natural cell death. Vitamin D3…

High-Dose Vitamin C and a Fast-Like Diet Might Help Fight Mesothelioma
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High-Dose Vitamin C and a Fast-Like Diet Might Help Fight Mesothelioma

A combination of a low-calorie, plant-based diet and high levels of Vitamin C might offer a new and less-toxic way to combat malignant mesothelioma. A report published in the journal Nature Communications says the combination delayed tumor progression in mouse models of colorectal cancer. In some mice, it even caused their tumors to shrink. The most-affected tumors had a genetic mutation found in about a quarter of human cancers, including some cases of mesothelioma. Mutations in the KRAS gene help mesothelioma resist standard cancer treatments.  The study indicates that adding Vitamin C to a diet that mimics fasting might help doctors get around this mesothelioma defence mechanism.  The Anti-Cancer Effects of Ascorbic Acid Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic…

Benefits of Propolis: Could Bee Product Help Fight Mesothelioma?
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Benefits of Propolis: Could Bee Product Help Fight Mesothelioma?

A new review of the potential benefits of propolis suggests that this antioxidant-rich bee product might be a worthwhile addition to the fight against mesothelioma.  Bees produce propolis from the sap of evergreens. The research on this supplement is limited. There has never been a study on propolis and mesothelioma.  But a new Taiwanese review concludes that there is enough evidence on the benefits of propolis in several other types of cancer to warrant further study.  What is Propolis? Propolis is a sticky resin that bees produce to help protect their hives. It is made up of a combination of evergreen sap, bee saliva, and beeswax. Bees coat their hives with it. Many ancient civilizations believed in the health benefits…

Supplements During Chemotherapy May Work Against Mesothelioma Treatment
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Supplements During Chemotherapy May Work Against Mesothelioma Treatment

A new study suggests that it could be risky to take supplements during chemotherapy for mesothelioma and other cancers.  The study took place at the Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center in Buffalo, New York. It focused on more than 1,100  breast cancer patients. It found that patients who took certain antioxidant supplements during chemotherapy had worse outcomes than those who did not.  The study’s authors say antioxidants undermine one of the main jobs of chemotherapy drugs – to create oxidative stress in cancer cells. Chemotherapy is the primary first-line treatment for malignant mesothelioma and many other cancers.  Why Avoid Antioxidant Supplements During Chemotherapy? Antioxidants are compounds found in many fruits and vegetables. Vitamins A, C, E, and B12 are examples…

Antioxidant Supplements for Mesothelioma Patients Might be Dangerous
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Antioxidant Supplements for Mesothelioma Patients Might be Dangerous

Two separate lung cancer studies suggest that antioxidant supplements for mesothelioma patients may not be advisable.  The studies appear in the most recent issue of the medical journal Cell.  Both focus on the role of antioxidants in the growth and spread of lung cancer. Although mesothelioma is not the same as lung cancer, it affects the same area of the body and shares many of the same characteristics.  The new research suggests that, instead of fighting cancer, antioxidant supplements for mesothelioma patients, might actually help it grow.  Supplements for Cancer Patients Antioxidant vitamins like A, C, and E are plentiful in fruits and vegetables. Many people take antioxidant supplements to make up for a poor diet. These vitamins can help…

Mesothelioma Patient Alert: Study Questions Safety of B12 Supplements
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Mesothelioma Patient Alert: Study Questions Safety of B12 Supplements

New research about the safety of Vitamin B12 supplements is raising red flags for mesothelioma patients and those at risk for mesothelioma. A major international study published in the International Journal of Cancer suggests that too much Vitamin B12 in the body may be a cause of lung cancer. The study included researchers from top institutions like Brigham and Women’s Hospital, Harvard Medical School, the University of Pittsburgh, the American Cancer Society, and the National Cancer Institute. Pleural Mesothelioma and Lung Cancer Pleural mesothelioma has a lot in common with lung cancer. It develops in the cells of the membrane around the lungs. As mesothelioma spreads, the membrane becomes less pliable, making it hard for the lungs to expand normally….

Mesothelioma Chemotherapy: Can Supplements Make it Safer?
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Mesothelioma Chemotherapy: Can Supplements Make it Safer?

Vitamin B12 and folic acid supplements are often given to mesothelioma patients who are on chemotherapy in an effort to ward off neutropenia, a dangerous drop in white blood cells that can leave patients vulnerable to infection. Neutropenia has been linked to elevated levels of an amino acid called homocysteine, and pemetrexed can raise homocysteine. While some studies have found that supplementation makes chemotherapy less toxic, a team of British doctors found the supplements had little impact on a group of mesothelioma patients who were not on pemetrexed. Scientists at the Royal Marsden Hospital in Sutton, UK randomly assigned 83 patients with advanced lung cancer or malignant mesothelioma to receive platinum-based chemotherapy with or without B12 and folic acid supplementation. They were looking…