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In highly concentrated form, black raspberries may offer protection against colon, esophageal, skin and other cancers — up to an 80 percent risk reduction. Nature vs. Cancer


Internationally known researchers show food- based compounds can dramatically cut cancer risk.


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Millions in the United States have a heightened risk for cancer. For some, drugs help avert disease. However, few cancer-preventive drugs exist — and most come with “strings attached” in the form of potential side effects. If you may or may not get cancer, does it make sense to take drugs long-term to lower your risk?


Scientists at Froedtert & The Medical College of Wisconsin are studying a promising alternative — preventing cancer using chemical compounds found in foods and plants. Their research is showing that naturally occurring substances could effectively block 90 percent or more of certain cancers.


A Cup of Prevention


At the heart of the chemoprevention movement is Ming You, MD, PhD, an internationally known researcher who has held several prestigious leadership roles in the National Cancer Institute. Dr. You is the newly appointed director of the Medical College of Wisconsin Cancer Center.


For most of his career, Dr. You has focused on lung disease — how to prevent pre-cancerous growths in the respiratory tract from progressing to lung cancer.


“In the mid-90s, we started researching green tea,” he said. “Polyphenon E is a highly purified green tea catechin extract that has already proven effective in preventing many types of cancer in the lab.” In the laboratory, Dr. You and his colleagues showed polyphenon E could also have a strong effect against the two most common types of lung cancer: adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma.


Patient trials using green tea should be complete next year. “If humans show the same response as in the lab,” Dr. You said, “we can reduce the risk of lung cancer by 70 percent for certain people at high risk.”


Dr. You has investigated a number of other natural compounds, including red ginseng and a traditional Chinese medicine called Zeng Sheng Ping, also known as Antitumor B. “Antitumor B is a mix of six herbs,” he said. “A study showed it may reduce the incidence of esophageal cancer by about half.”


6 froedtert.com/cancer Clinical Cancer Center


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