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al from Canada · 05-11-2006, 02:16 PM

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Researchers Demonstrate That Oleic Acid in Olive Oil Protects Against Breast Cancer

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Study paves the way for evaluation of oleic acid as a breast cancer treatment

1/11/2005 - Oleic acid, the main monounsaturated fatty acid contained in olive oil, can cripple a cancer gene that is responsible for 25-30% of all breast cancers, according to researchers reporting in today’s Annals of Oncology.

“These results lead us to an exciting path of inquiry about diet and breast cancer treatment and prevention,” says Dr. Ruth Lupu, Director of Evanston Northwestern Healthcare’s Breast Cancer Translational Research Program, who co-authored the study with Dr. Javier Menendez, research assistant professor at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and Dr. Ramon Colomer, head of the Medical Oncology Division at Institut Catala d’Oncologia in Girona, Spain.

“We observed that oleic acid not only suppressed the levels of the oncogene Her-2/neu but it also improved the efficiency of the drug Herceptin™ (trastuzumab) that is already being used for the treatment of many women with breast cancer,” says Dr. Lupu.

In a series of lab experiments on breast cancer cell lines the expression of the breast cancer gene Her-2/neu was cut by more than 46 percent when treated with oleic acid. Dr. Lupu and her colleagues found that oleic acid not only suppressed the action of the oncogene, it also improved the effectiveness of the breast cancer drug Herceptin -- a targeted therapy that works against the HER-2/neu gene.

Breast cancer patients with HER-2/neu positive tumors suffer from an aggressive form of the disease and have a poor prognosis.

The study authors explain that the “power boost” that oleic acid provides to Herceptin is caused by DNA fragmentation, which promotes the death of cells that have amplified levels of Her-2/neu.

“This study helps us understand how dietary fatty acids can regulate the growth and spread of breast cancer cells. It suggests to us that a diet rich in oleic acid, such as the Mediterranean diet, may delay or prevent Herceptin resistance in breast cancer patients who are Her-2/neu positive,” the authors explain.

“Finding answers in the lab that can potentially improve clinical practice is the nature of translational research,” says Leo Selker, PhD, President of the ENH Research Institute. “We are already looking at future studies to build upon the findings from this important study,” he adds.

Having a Breast Cancer Translational Research Program in place provides patients with an added dimension of care, notes Janardan Khandekar, MD, Chairman, Department of Medicine, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. “New answers from research translate to better care for our patients,” he says.

05-11-2006, 02:16 PM	#7
al from Canada Senior Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Ontario, Canada Posts: 722	Here's another article Al Researchers Demonstrate That Oleic Acid in Olive Oil Protects Against Breast Cancer < Previous Page Study paves the way for evaluation of oleic acid as a breast cancer treatment 1/11/2005 - Oleic acid, the main monounsaturated fatty acid contained in olive oil, can cripple a cancer gene that is responsible for 25-30% of all breast cancers, according to researchers reporting in today’s Annals of Oncology. “These results lead us to an exciting path of inquiry about diet and breast cancer treatment and prevention,” says Dr. Ruth Lupu, Director of Evanston Northwestern Healthcare’s Breast Cancer Translational Research Program, who co-authored the study with Dr. Javier Menendez, research assistant professor at Evanston Northwestern Healthcare Research Institute and Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine, and Dr. Ramon Colomer, head of the Medical Oncology Division at Institut Catala d’Oncologia in Girona, Spain. “We observed that oleic acid not only suppressed the levels of the oncogene Her-2/neu but it also improved the efficiency of the drug Herceptin™ (trastuzumab) that is already being used for the treatment of many women with breast cancer,” says Dr. Lupu. In a series of lab experiments on breast cancer cell lines the expression of the breast cancer gene Her-2/neu was cut by more than 46 percent when treated with oleic acid. Dr. Lupu and her colleagues found that oleic acid not only suppressed the action of the oncogene, it also improved the effectiveness of the breast cancer drug Herceptin -- a targeted therapy that works against the HER-2/neu gene. Breast cancer patients with HER-2/neu positive tumors suffer from an aggressive form of the disease and have a poor prognosis. The study authors explain that the “power boost” that oleic acid provides to Herceptin is caused by DNA fragmentation, which promotes the death of cells that have amplified levels of Her-2/neu. “This study helps us understand how dietary fatty acids can regulate the growth and spread of breast cancer cells. It suggests to us that a diet rich in oleic acid, such as the Mediterranean diet, may delay or prevent Herceptin resistance in breast cancer patients who are Her-2/neu positive,” the authors explain. “Finding answers in the lab that can potentially improve clinical practice is the nature of translational research,” says Leo Selker, PhD, President of the ENH Research Institute. “We are already looking at future studies to build upon the findings from this important study,” he adds. Having a Breast Cancer Translational Research Program in place provides patients with an added dimension of care, notes Janardan Khandekar, MD, Chairman, Department of Medicine, Evanston Northwestern Healthcare. “New answers from research translate to better care for our patients,” he says. __________________ Primary care-giver to and advocate for Linda, who passed away April 27, 2006.