A new scientific review has identified 25 of the top foods and herbs which kill cancer stem cells at the root cause of cancer malignancy.
There are thousands of natural compounds that have been studied with demonstrable anti-cancer activity but only a small subset of these have been proven to target and kill the cancer stem cells which lie at the root of cancer malignancy. Turmeric, for instance, has a “smart kill” property of targeting just the heart of cancerous tumours.
More recently, ginger has been found in pre-clinical research to contain a compound up to 10,000 times more effective than the chemotherapy drug Taxol at killing breast cancer stem cells. Even common foods like blueberry have special cancer killing properties.
A new study published in the journal Anticancer Research entitled “Natural Products That Target Cancer Stem Cells“, has listed the top 25 cancer killers (below) along with some of their commonly recognisable dietary sources.
25 Cancer Stem Cell Killing Foods
1. Green Tea – Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG)
2. Ginger – 6-Gingerol
3. Carrot, Leafy Greens – Beta-Carotene
4. Chinese Skullcap – Baicalein
5. Turmeric – Curcumin
6. Corn Lilly – Cyclopamine [we do not suggest consuming this plant; this simply illustrates natural components exist that kill cancer stem cells]
7. Blueberry, raspberrry – Delphinidin
8. Soy, red clover, coffee – Flavonoids (Genistein)
9. Cottonseed – Gossypol [we do not suggest consuming this plant; this simply illustrates natural components exist that kill cancer stem cells]
10. Myrrh Tree – Guggulsterone – Commiphora
11. Cruciferous vegetables – Isothiocyanates
12. Mint – Linalool
13. Grapefruit, tomato – Lycopene
14. Feverfew – Parthenolide
15. Mint, cherry, lavender – Perylill alcohol
16. Black pepper – Piperine
17. Placycodonsaponin – Playycodongrandifloruim
18. Psoralidin – Psoralea corylilyfolia
19. Capers, onion – Quercetin
20. Grapes, plums, berries – Resveratrol
21. Salinomycin – Streptomyces albu
22. Milk Thistle – Silibinin
23. Thyme, basil, oregano – Ursolic acid
24. Fish, egg yolk, beef, cod liver oil – Vitamin D3
25. Withaferin A – Withaniasomnifera (ashwaganda)
Why are these substances so important?
The primary reason why conventional chemotherapy andradiotherapy have failed to produce any significant improvements incancer survival rates is because cancer stem cells are resistant to these interventions. In fact, chemotherapy and especially radiationare both capable of increasing the number and virulence of these cells in a tumour, while at the same time having the well known side effect of further damaging the patient’s immune system.
While the cancer industry is still very much resistant to incorporating the implications of these findings into their standard of care (which is highly unethical), there are an increasing number of health practitioners that will not turn their back on the truth and are very much interested in alternative ways to prevent and treat cancer using food and/or plant-based approaches
The new study addresses the relevance of cancer stem cells as follows:
“The cancer stem cell model suggests that tumour initiation is governed by a small subset of distinct cells with stem-like character termed cancer stem cells (CSCs). CSCs possess properties of self-renewal and intrinsic survival mechanisms that contribute to the resistance of tumours to most chemotherapeutic drugs. The failure to eradicate CSCs during the course of therapy is postulated to be the driving force for tumour recurrence and metastasis. Recent studies have focused on understanding the unique phenotypic properties of CSCs from various tumour types, as well as the signalling pathways that underlie self-renewal and drug resistance.”
At present, the cancer industry has failed to produce a single drug that targets the cancer stem cell population of cells within a tumour, as confirmed by the study:indeed the CSC response is a vital criterion for cancer treatment evaluation, there are still no drugs in clinical use that specifically target CSCs.
If indeed the CSC response is a vital criterion for cancer treatment evaluation, there are still no drugs in clinical use that specifically target CSCs.
The ability to selectively target cancer cells, and cancer stem cells in particular, while leaving intact the non-tumour cells in tissue is extremely important. Research oncancer stem cells is a topic that will no doubt become a central part of the future of cancer treatment.
