Cancer cells and normal cells are known to respond discordantly to foods and drugs that effect glutathione status.

Many studies have shown that tumor cells have elevated levels of glutathione levels, which confers resistance to chemotherapy drugs.

1 of the challenges of cancer therapy is how to deplete tumor cells of glutathione, so as to produce them even more vulnerable to the effects of chemotherapy drugs, while at the equivalent time letting normal cells to remain relatively unaffected by chemotherapeutic drugs.

A number of new findings have emerged that take into consideration the role of glutathione in pathways that promote programmed cell demise (apoptosis) in cancer cells.

A German survey has reported that glutathione (GSH) plays a critical role in cellular mechanisms that result in cell demise. The learn detected that cancer cells resistive to apoptosis had higher intracellular GSH levels.

Depletion of glutathione in these tumor cells processed them even more vulnerable to the effects of anticancer drugs or even the gene that promotes apoptosis (CD95 or even APO-1/Fas). The researchers concluded that apoptosis resistance in tumor cells depends, at least in portion, on intracellular GSH levels. (1)

In an additional survey conducted in Spain, researchers uncovered that lowering GSH concentration can be easy not only for the efficiency of chemotherapy, however also to cause a rather speedy and direct apoptosis mechanism in tumor cells. (2)

Built on that premise that the glutathione-S-transferase enzyme is expressed at high levels in many tumors, researchers at the Fox Chase Cancer Center in Penna., went on to design a novel prodrug (PABA/NO).

The glutathione-s-transferase in tumor cells converts PABA/NO to lethal nitric oxide, resulting in demise of the tumor cell. The prodrug was shown to have antitumor effects in an beast model for human being ovarian cancer. (3)

In the for learn, Polish researchers discovered that ingesting a selenium supplement is beneficial, as a supportive element in chemotherapy. (4)

Selenium is a co-factor of the enzyme glutathione peroxidase [GSH-P(x)] and was discovered to significantly increase the activity of GSH-P(x) in patients reciving the supplement.

A last clinical learn per equivalent researchers recommended the administration of selenium in patients with ovarian cancer undergoing multi-drug chemotherapy. (5)

An additional interesting survey by researchers in Texas showed that your chances of surviving a type of brain cancer, called primary malignant glioma, may depend on the type of glutathione-s-transferase (GST) gene you were born with.

Having a combination of a both specific variants of GST (germ-line GSTP1*A/*A and GSTM1 null genotype) confers a survival benefit in a few varieties of brain cancers, however also comes with an increased gamble of adverse cases related to chemotherapy. (6)

There exists compelling evidence to indicate a important role for glutathione and substances that target glutathione metabolism in the prevention and coarse of action of cancer.

Undenatured whey protein is 1 of the natural foods known to selectively deplete cancer cells of their glutathione, so making them even more susceptible to such cancer treatments as radiation and chemotherapy.

For a complete report on the research on undenatured whey protein and cancer see the report Glutathione (GSH) and Whey Protein in Cancer.

http://www.1whey2health.com/cancer_glutathione.htm

Disclaimer: This page isn't provided by medical professionals and isn't intended as a substitute for medical advice. Please consult your physician prior to beginning any course of coarse of action.

References:

one. Friesen C et al. [Cell Demise and Differentiation advance online publication, twenty-three April 2004]

two. Tormos C et al. [Cancer Lett. 2004 Might 10;208(1):103-13.]

three. Findlay VJ et al. [Mol Pharmacol. 2004 May;65(5):1070-9.]

four. Sieja K et al. [Gynecol Oncol. 2004 May;93(2):320-327.]

five. Sieja K. [Pharmazie. 1998 Jul;53(7):473-6.]

six. Okcu MF et. al. [Clin Cancer Res. 2004 Apr 15;10(8):2618-25.]

Copyright ? 2004 Priya Shah

About Andy skinner

This article was 1st published in the April 2004 issue of The Glutathione Report, http://www.glutathione-report.com, a newsletter featuring regular updates on the health benefits of glutathione. Get a Free report on Glutathione in Health and Disease http://www.1whey2health.com

Article source: http://www.topiccenter.com/Health-and-Fitness/Cancer/