FW: Flaxseed Against Prostate Cancer

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From: thin_man <thin_man@...>

Date: Tue, 12 Nov 2002 17:41:20 -0500

fskelton@...

Subject: Flaxseed Against Prostate Cancer

Flaxseed Helps Against Prostate Cancer in Mice

Reuters

Nov 11 2002 7:31AM

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Mice fed plenty of flaxseed seemed to

be protected against the worst forms of prostate cancer, which

suggests flaxseed contains some protective components, U.S.

researchers said on Monday.

Flaxseed is a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber and

compounds known as lignans, all of which may play a role in

protecting against cancer and perhaps also heart disease.

A team at Duke University Medical Center fed large amounts of

flaxseed to mice that were genetically engineered to develop

prostate cancer. They compared them to genetically engineered

mice that were not fed any flaxseed.

About 3 percent of the mice did not develop prostate cancer at all

and the rest had smaller tumors that were less likely to spread, thy

reported in the journal Urology.

" Tumors in the untreated control group were twice the size of

tumors in the flaxseed group, " Dr. Xu Lin, who led the study, said

in a statement.

" The tumors were also less aggressive in the flaxseed group, and

two of the mice in the flaxseed group did not develop prostate

cancer at all. "

Other research has suggested that men who eat flaxseed have

lower levels of prostate specific antigen, a protein produced by

prostate cells that is now used as a test for prostate cancer. The

higher the levels, the more likely it is that a man has prostate

cancer.

" We are cautiously optimistic about these findings, " urologist

Demark-Wahnefried, who helped lead the study, said in a

statement.

" The amount of flaxseed given to each mouse was 5 percent of its

total food intake, which would be a very difficult amount for

humans to eat, but it does signal that we are on the right track and

need to continue research in this area. "

The team is now doing a study in men with prostate cancer.

About 30,000 U.S. men die every year of prostate cancer, the

second biggest cancer killer of men after lung cancer.

11/11/02 07:30 ET