Cancer hormone-dependent

Breast Cancer. Many studies have observed low incidences of hormone-dependent cancers, particularly breast cancer, in Asian countries compared with Western countries and it is becoming increasingly accepted that dietary factors play an important role. Although breast cancer can occur in either males or females, only about 1 % of all cases occur in men, and male breast cancer is a rare disease in all parts of the world." Although there appear to be some similar risk factors for breast cancer in males and females, there is no indication in the literature that diet is either a risk or a protective factor for male breast cancer. The development of breast cancer is known to be highly dependent on the hormones associated with female reproductive functions, while established genetic factors have been... 

Although clinical deficiency disease is rare, there is evidence that a significant proportion of the population have marginal vitamin Bg status. Moderate deficiency results in abnormalities of tryptophan and methionine metabolism. Increased sensitivity to steroid hormone action may be important in the development of hormone-dependent cancer of the breast, uterus, and prostate, and vitamin Bg status may affect the prognosis. 

In summary, research on steroid receptor action will provide many opportunities to further improve treatment of hormone-dependent cancers. 

The possible role of isoflavonoids in the prevention of cancer and in particular hormone-dependent cancers such as breast and prostate cancer is currently extensively investi-gated. " " In addition, consumption of soy foods rich in isoflavones has been weakly associated with reduced colon cancer. Colon cancer risk is influenced by estrogen exposure although the mechanism of action has not been fully elucidated, studies with estrogen receptor a (see Section 7.3.3) knockout mice indicate that it may be independent of estrogen receptor... 

An important caveat is that the epidemiological evidence suggesting protection from hormone-dependent cancer by isoflavone phytoestrogens is based on foods rather than isoflavone extracts, which in the future could include isoflavone-containing therapeutics. Indeed, the preparation of isoflavone extracts from soy protein could well result in the loss... 

Carroll, K.K. (1975). Experimental evidence of dietary factors and hormone-dependent cancers, Cancer Res. 35,3374. 

Slavin, J., Hutchins, A., and Haggans, C. 2002. Can flaxseed protect against hormonally dependent cancer In Proceeding of 59th Flax Institute of United States , p. 52. Fargo, ND. 

DHEA supplementation can increase production of gonadal hormones. Therefore, DHEA should be avoided by patients with any type of hormone-dependent cancer. 

Prognostic and Predictive Value of Kallikreins in Hormone-Dependent Cancers... 

Talwar, G.P. (1999) Vaccines and passive immunological approaches for the control of fertility and hormone-dependent cancers. Immunol. Rev. 171,173-192. 

Carroll, K.K. (1985) Influence of Diet on Hormone-Dependent Cancers. This Volume. 

My interest in the influence of diet on hormone-dependent cancers was first stimulated about 20 years ago by studies carried out in collaboration with colleagues at the Collip Medical Research Laboratory of the University of Western Ontario. They were involved in studies on the role of hormones in mammary cancer and for this purpose were inducing tumors in rats with 7,12-dimethylbenz(oi)-anthracene (DMBA) as described by Huggins et al ( 1). They were concerned to know whether hormonal treatment might affect tumorigenesis by altering the degree and time of exposure of mammary... 

Figure 1. Influence of diet on hormone-dependent cancers. Data from Gammal et al. (4).

A variety of studies have shown that 10% to 20% of the population of developed countries have marginal or inadequate stams, as assessed by erythrocyte transaminase activation coefficient (Section 9.5.36) or plasma pyridoxal phosphate (Section 9.5.1 Bender, 1989b). This may be sufficient to enhance the responsiveness of target tissues to steroid hormones (Section 9.3.3), and may be important in the induction and subsequent development of hormone-dependent cancer of the breast and prostate. Vitamin Be supplementation may be a useful adjunct to other therapy in these common cancers certainly, there is evidence that poor vitamin Be nutritional stams is associated with a poor prognosis in women with breast cancer. 

High consumption of legumes, especially soya beans, which are rich sources of phytoestrogens, is associated with lower incidence of breast and uterine cancer, as well as a lower incidence of osteoporosis. The estrogenic action is probably responsible for the effects on the development of osteoporosis, whereas three factors may be involved in the effect on hormone-dependent cancer ... 

Safe, S. and McDougal, A., Mechanism of action and development of selective aryl hydrocarbon receptor modulators for treatment of hormone-dependent cancers, Int. J. Oncol, 20, 1123-1128, 2002. 

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