Sandy Hutchens Cancer Prevention

New Study Claims that 2 Sodas Per Week Increases Pancreatic Cancer Risk

Two soft drinks a week may double the risk of getting pancreatic cancer, according to a recent study.

The soda industry strongly disagreed with the study, calling it flawed and showing other research that did not find an association between soda drinking and pancreatic cancer.

”People who drank two or more soft drinks a week had an 87% increased risk – or nearly twice the risk – of pancreatic cancer compared to individuals consuming no soft drinks,” says study lead author Noel T. Mueller, MPH, a research associate at the Cancer Control Program at Georgetown University Medical Center, Washington, D.C.

Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, a journal of the American Association for Cancer Research has published the study.

Cancer of the pancreas was found in over 40,000 people in America in 2009, according to American Cancer Society estimates, and about 35,000 deaths from the disease were expected. The pancreas lies beneath the stomach and creates the hormone insulin to balance blood sugar. It also produces juices with enzymes in order to break down fats and proteins.

Video on pancreatic cancer

Prior studies showed mixed conclusions as to the connection of of soft drinks boosts the risk of pancreatic cancer.

Mueller and his associates studied 60,524 men and women enrolled in a Singapore Chinese Health Study, which began in the early 1990’s, for up to 14 years, to observe their diet and whether they got cancer.

They asked all participants about food intake, including sodas and juices. Mueller says the researchers didn’t ask specifically about diet soda consumption, but that most of the soda drunk was regular or sweetened.

In Singapore at that time, Mueller says, there was very little intake of diet soda.

“We followed the participants for 14 plus years, keeping track of different cancers,” he tells WebMD.

They found 140 cases of pancreatic cancer and looked back to see if there was an association with sodas or juices.

The researchers divided the consumption of sodas and juices into three categories: none, less than two servings a week, or two or more servings a week.

Those who drank two or more a week — the average number was five — had the 87% increased risk, Mueller tells WebMD.

No link was found between juices and pancreatic cancer risk.

Why is there an association with soft drinks? Mueller says they are not certain. “What we believe is the sugar in the soft drinks is increasing the insulin level in the body, which we think contributes to pancreatic cancer cell growth. That increase in insulin is what may be leading to the development of the cancer.”

His team adjusted for other risk factors, such as advancing age, smoking, diabetes, and body mass index. It is well known that the risk for pancreatic cancer rises with age.

Pomegranates and Phytochemicals, Cancer Beware!

Eating a pomegranate everyday can help prevent breast cancer, new research reveals. American scientists are saying pomegranates contain chemical agents known as phytochemicals, which play an important role in the prevention of breast cancer.

Scientists at the City of Hope Cancer Research and Treatment Center in Duarte, California, have discovered that the fruit contains a large amount of the phytochemical called ellagitannins. The phytochemical has an inhibitory effect on the enzyme aromatase, which plays a pivotal role in making the hormone oestrogen, which in turn leads to most of the cases of breast cancer. Meanwhile, many patients who suffer from the breast cancer take medicines which are actually aromatase inhibitors.

The research which was published in the journal ‘Cancer Prevention Research’ highlights the fact that laboratory experiments that were carried out took into account around 10 compounds from the pomegranate and their effects were subsequently tested. Among the compounds which were taken into consideration, urolithin B was seen to be the most effective in preventing breast cancer.

However, researcher Shiuan Chen, who was intrinsically involved with the research, emphasized that the compounds did not turn out to be as effective as actual drugs due to which researchers have warned the patients against using the fruit as a replacement of the aromatase inhibitor medicines. At the same time, it has been implied that the results are not conclusive and further tests need to be carried out in order to confirm the findings. However, the findings are being considered to be significant as it might herald a new era in breast cancer treatment.

Read more: Pomegranates and Cancer.

AUSTIN, Texas–(Sandy Hutchens Cancer Prevention acknowledgments to Business Wire)–
The Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT) released five cancer research requests for applications (RFA) just three months after receiving its first funding.In May, 2009, the 81st Legislature appropriated $450 million dollars in bond proceeds for the next two years for CPRIT to fund cancer research and prevention grants that will expedite innovation in cancer treatment and expand cancer prevention services in the state. This appropriation is the first for the $3 billion, ten year project approved by Texas voters in 2007.

“CPRIT is now officially open for business,” said William “Bill” Gimson, CPRIT executive director. “Now we can get to the important work we have to do in the fight against cancer.”

RFA categories include Individual Investigator Research Awards, the High Impact/High Risk Research Awards, Recruitment Research Awards for First-time Tenure-track Faculty Members, Rising Stars, and Established Investigators. Additional cancer research and prevention services RFAs will be released over the next few months. Nobel laureate Phillip A. Sharp, Ph.D. will chair CPRIT`s Scientific Review Council which will make recommendations for funding research grant awards.

“We designed the RFAs to be broad and to encourage innovation,” said Alfred G. Gilman, M.D., Ph.D., CPRIT chief scientific officer. “They will inspire exciting proposals, and we will fund superb research.”

A more detailed description of each RFA can be found by visiting CPRIT`s website at www.cprit.state.tx.us. The online application system will be open on September 15, 2009.

A webinar focusing on the prevention program was recently held by Rebecca Garcia, Ph.D., CPRIT chief prevention officer, with an estimated 250 participants. A summary of selected questions and answers from the webinar is available by visiting http://www.cprit.state.tx.us/webinars.html.

Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT)
Sandra Balderrama, 512-305-8450