Watch out, cancer....Blueberries to the rescue!

 

 

As the incidence of cancer continues to rise among the human population, methods of treatment, especially in regards to prevention, have experienced scrutiny. It appears that current treatments are losing effectiveness in combatting cancer, which is partly due to the fact that cancer is rapidly developing into more aggressive forms. Furthermore, cancer is such a complex disease that scientists and practitioners know so little about the causes. Unfortunately, this presents a roadblock in terms of trying to successfully counter the destructive disorder. For quite some time, researchers have been studying a variety of ways to improve cancer treatments, and a recent focus has spurred interest in natural methods, particularly involving diet and the patterns of eating that people tend to follow. Blueberries have gained increased awareness among the cancer research field, and many studies suggest that the small, blue fruit may possess the strength to fight against the giant monster of cancer.

 

 

For such a tiny fruit, blueberries possess enormous potential in terms of health benefits. Blueberries are widely recognized for their antioxidant properties, which is powered by their numerous phytochemicals. A large number of research studies have examined the role of a specific phytochemical present among blueberries, pterostilbene. Broadly speaking, pterostilbene has exhibited behaviors that influence a decrease in the development of cancer cells, accompanied by an increase in the self-destruction of already existent cancer cells. A 2014 study performed by Pan et al., looked at the effects of pterostilbene in relation to breast cancer tumors. Results of this study demonstrated a significant decrease in the size of the tumors following treatment with a variety of concentrations of pterostilbene. Additionally, the pterostilbene treatment successfully induced apoptosis of breast cancer cells, which ultimately inhibited the further development of present tumors.

 

 

Another 2014 study executed by Wawsxczyk et al. also observed the effects of pterostilbene treatment, but utilized colon cancer cells instead. Similar results to the breast cancer study were examined following treatment, demonstrating a significant reduction in the growth of colon cancer cells, as well as a substantial increase in the destruction of colon cancer cells, especially related to the structure of the cell membrane. Data gathered from both of these studies revealed a positive correlation with the concentration of pterostilbene used in treatment and the cancer cell response in terms of growth. As the pterostilbene concentration increased, the amount of cancer cell destruction also increased, which suggests that pterostilbene may be a valuable tool for successful cancer treatment.
 

As the research involving blueberries in relation to cancer increases, current cancer treatments remain in effect for the time-being. Although blueberries have exhibited positive results thus far, it is advised to not abandon existing cancer treatments; however, consuming blueberries as part of healthy diet can provide additional health benefits. Studies have demonstrated that those who consume adequate servings of all types of fruit have a decreased risk of developing cancer when compared to those who consume less or no fruit at all. A variety of helpful tips and tricks, as well as several yummy recipes, for supplementing a healthy diet with blueberries can be found at www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/blueberries.html.

 

References

AICR’s foods that fight cancer: Blueberries. (2014, May 14). American Institute for Cancer Research. Retrieved from http://www.aicr.org/foods-that-fight-cancer/blueberries.html.

 

Pan, C., Hu, Y., Li, J., Wang, Z., Huang, J., Zhang, S., & Ding, L. (2014). Estrogen receptor- a36 is involved in pterostilbene-induced apoptosis and anti-proliferation in in vitro and in vivo breast cancer. PLoS One. 9(8). doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0104459

 

Singleton, B. (2013, Aug 16). Can blueberries shrink cancer cells? Livestrong.com. Retrieved from http://www.livestrong.com/article/471692-can-blueberries-shrink-cancer-cells/.

 

Wawsxczyk, J., Kapral, Malgorzata, K., Hollek, A., & Weglarz, L. (2014). In vitro evaluation of antiproliferative and cytotoxic properties of pterostilbene against human colon cancer cells. Acta Poloniae Pharmaceutica – Drug Research, 71(6), 1051-5. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/25745778.