Coffee Prevents Breast Cancer Recurrence: Study



Chalk up another health benefit tied to drinking coffee: New research out of Sweden shows the humble caffeine bean may offer some protection against breast cancer recurrences.

The Lund University study found coffee inhibits the growth of tumors, cutting the risk of recurrence in breast cancer patients treated with the drug tamoxifen.

The findings confirm preliminary results of a similar Lund study completed two years ago and echo a number of others suggesting coffee may help ward off a number of health conditions, including heart disease and diabetes.

“Now, unlike in the previous study, we have combined information about the patients’ lifestyle and clinical data from 1,090 breast cancer patients with studies on breast cancer cells,” explained researchers Ann Rosendahl and Helena Jernström.

“The study shows that among the over 500 women treated with tamoxifen, those who had drunk at least two cups of coffee a day had only half the risk of recurrence of those who drank less coffee or none at all. The study also shows that those who drank at least two cups of coffee a day had smaller tumors and a lower proportion of hormone-dependent tumors. We saw that this was already the case at the time of diagnosis.”

The researchers concluded two substances in coffee —- caffeine and caffeic acid — cause reactions in tumors that cause the cells to stop growing and die, especially in combination with tamoxifen.

“This shows that these substances have an effect on the breast cancer cells and turn off signaling pathways that the cancer cells require to grow,” they said.

The researchers have demonstrated both in breast cancer patients and at cell level that coffee appears to reinforce the effect of treatment with tamoxifen, but emphasize the importance of taking prescribed medication.

“They are incredibly important, but if you like coffee and are also taking tamoxifen, there is no reason to stop drinking it. Just two cups a day is sufficient to make a difference.”

 

Source(s):

newsmax.com

http://www.healthfreedoms.org/coffee-prevents-breast-cancer-recurrence-study/