Colon Cancer Ideas Separate studies have reported that exercise and supplementing with curry and onion extracts are beneficial in the fight against colon cancer.
In two similar studies, researchers at the Dana Farber Cancer Institute in Boston found that patients who exercised vigorously following a diagnosis of colon cancer substantially reduced their risk of death.
The scientists identified 573 women diagnosed with stage I, II, or III colorectal cancer. They documented the women's reported level of physical activity, assigning a numeric number or metabolic equivalent to various tasks. For example, walking at a rate of 2.9 miles per hour was given a score of 3 MET-hours, aerobic exercise was given a score of 6, and running faster than 10 min/mile was given a score of 12.
When the investigators followed up with the patients about nine and a half years later, they found that those reporting 18 or more MET hours of exercise per week were significantly less likely to die of their cancer -- or of any other cause -- compared with those who reported less than three total MET-hours per week.
In a related study, those with advanced colon cancer were followed a median of 2.7 years after diagnosis and experienced similar results. An editorial published in the Journal of Clinical Oncology along with the studies' results noted that previous research also found an association between activity levels and survival for breast cancer patients.
And in a separate clinical study at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, researchers investigating a rare hereditary condition found that supplementing with curry and onion extracts could reduce one's risk of colon cancer by shrinking the number and size of colon polyps.
In a small study of five patients with familial adenomatous polyposis, a disease that eventually leads to the development of colon cancer, each patient received 480 mg. of curcumin and 20 mg. of quercetin three times daily for six months.
Results showed an average 60 percent decrease in the number of polyps in patients, and a 50-percent reduction in the average size of the polyps. Although the amount of quercetin used can be acquired through a normal consumption , the curcumin supplement was much higher than could be gotten from a typical diet.
Since curcumin can thin the blood and cause stomach upset or even ulcers at high doses, it is important to talk with your healthcare provider before adding any new supplement to make sure it's right for you.
Familial adenomatous polyposis is a rare, inherited disorder characterized by the development of numerous benign colon polyps. Their growth begins during adolescence and leads to hundreds or even thousands of polyps appearing by middle age. As the patients reach their 50s, the polyps begin turning malignant, forcing the surgical removal of the colon. Patients are sometimes given nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs as a way of lessening the polyps' growth, but these drugs often bring about adverse side effects such as bleeding and gastrointestinal ulcerations when used continually. Source:
"Curry and onion extracts could protect against colon cancer," Nutraingredients.com, 8/14/06
"Exercise may have benefits in colon cancer," Reuters Health, 8/11/06 |
