Re: Grapefruit link to breast cancer

[Guest guest]

Does anyone know if grapefruit is the only citrus fruit

containing this cytochrome molecule, the supposed root of

the problem? Also, might the pasturization of grapefruit

juice make it safer WRT breast cancer than the fresh fruit?

>

> This article is directed to breast cancer in women,

> although it can happen in men too.

>

> http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/6900482.stm

>

> Grapefruit link to breast cancer

>

> Eating too much grapefruit could increase risks of

> breast cancer. Eating grapefruit every day could raise

> the risk of developing breast cancer by almost a third,

> US scientists say. A study of 50,000 post-menopausal

> women found eating just a quarter of a grapefruit

> daily raised the risk by up to 30%.

>

> The fruit is thought to boost levels of oestrogen -

> the hormone associated with a higher risk of the

> disease, the British Journal of Cancer reported.

>

> But the researchers and other experts said more

> research was still needed.

>

> This is an interesting study, but is simply a piece

> of the jigsaw that will eventually help us to

> understand how our diets affect our health.

>

> The women had to fill in questionnaires saying

> how often they ate grapefruit and how big their

> portions were.

>

> The researchers, at the universities of South

> California and Hawaii, found that women who ate

> one quarter of a grapefruit or more every day

> had a higher risk of breast cancer than those

> who did not eat the fruit at all.

>

> Previous studies have shown that a molecule

> called cytochrome P450 3A4 (CYP3A4) is involved

> in metabolising oestrogen hormones.

>

> And grapefruit may boost blood oestrogen levels

> by inhibiting this molecule, allowing the

> hormones to build up.

>

> The researchers found that in women who ate at

> least a quarter of a grapefruit daily, levels

> of oestrogen were higher.

>

> They said: " It is well established that oestrogen

> is associated with breast cancer risk.

>

> " Therefore, if grapefruit intake affects oestrogen

> metabolism leading to higher circulating levels,

> then it is biologically plausible that regular

> intake of grapefruit would increase a woman's

> risk of breast cancer. "

>

> And they said this was the first time a commonly

> eaten food had been linked to an increased risk

> of breast cancer in older women.

>

> However, they warned that more research was needed

> to confirm the findings which may have been affected

> because they only took into account intake of the

> fruit, but not grapefruit juice.

>

> Breast cancer accounts for almost a third of all

> cancers in women, and previous lifestyle factors

> linked to the disease include drinking alcohol

> and being overweight.

>

> Dr Joanne Lunn, a nutrition scientist at the

> British Nutrition Foundation said: " This is an

> interesting study of a large group of post-

> menopausal women whose diet and health have

> been followed for many years.

>

> " However, this study is simply a piece of the

> jigsaw that will eventually help us to understand

> how our diets affect our health.

>

> " Although we are beginning to get a better

> awareness of how our diets can modify the risk

> of diseases such as cancer, we are still a long

> way from identifying particular foods that might

> specifically increase or decrease risk. "

>

> However, she said that some dietary patterns

> are associated with a reduced risk of certain

> cancers and that a diet rich in a variety of

> different fruits and vegetables could help

> reduce the risk of heart disease and some cancers.

>