Skip to main content

Cancer treatment studies: curry and friends




Curry, friendships and physical movement may provide treatment for specific cancers.

Cancer Research UK and Leicester University aims to conduct a two-year trial to investigate if a curry ingredient can improve the treatment of patients with bowel cancer (www.thetelegraph.com.au, 8 May, 2012). They will supplement traditional chemotherapy treatment with pills containing curcumin, a compound found in turmeric—the yellow curry spice. The scientists think that curcumin can boost the ability of chemotherapy drugs to kill bowel cancer cells. Previous studies indicated that it may slow the spread of cancer, improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy, and protect healthy cells from the effects of radiography. Curcumin is known to have anti-inflammatory properties and it also acts as an anti-oxidant. It has previously been used to help treat liver and digestive disorders, allergies, and even acne. The Cancer Research UK trial will recruit 40 patients with bowel cancer that has spread to their livers. Once bowel cancer spreads to the liver, patients often do not respond to chemotherapy drugs, so it is hoped that the curry treatment may make a positive difference.

Other research in Britain by the World Cancer Research Fund and the National Prevention Research initiative found that young girls with lots of friends were more physically active (www.thetelegraph.com.au, 8 May, 2012). For each additional friend, the girl spent 10 minutes being physically active at the weekend. Each extra friend was also associated with almost four extra minutes of moderate to vigorous physical activity after school during the week. Scientists studied the health of girls and boys in the years between primary and secondary school. However, the link between the number of friends and exercise was only noticed in girls.

In an Australian study, teenage girls who joined an obesity-prevention program became more active and sat at technology (computers and television) less. However, they did not significantly reduce their body mass index. The University of Newcastle spent a year tracking 357 girls aged 12-14 from low income areas as they undertook the nutrition and activity program. The program was conducted in 6 schools in the Hunter Valley and Central Coast, and offered sport sessions, nutritional seminars and used text messages for support and encouragement. The aim was to reduce overall body fat. Even though the program did not significantly reduce body fat, there were positive changes to their body composition and there were reductions to screen time in front of technological items. Girls in the program spent 30 minutes less per day on screen activities including computer, television, and video games, compared to other girls not on the program. The aim is now to study the link between extra physical movement and the likelihood of preventing or delaying specific types of cancer.



MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Sudan Curse (2009).
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Pir-E-Kamil - The Perfect Mentor by Umera Ahmed: book review

The Perfect Mentor pbuh  (2011) is set in Lahore and Islamabad in Pakistan. The novel commences with Imama Mubeen in medical university. She wants to be an eye specialist. Her parents have arranged for her to marry her first cousin Asjad. Salar Sikander, her neighbour, is 18 years old with an IQ of 150+ and a photographic memory. He has long hair tied in a ponytail. He imbibes alcohol, treats women disrespectfully and is generally a “weird chap” and a rude, belligerent teenager. In the past three years he has tried to commit suicide three times. He tries again. Imama and her brother, Waseem, answer the servant’s call to help Salar. They stop the bleeding from his wrist and save his life. Imama and Asjad have been engaged for three years, because she wants to finish her studies first. Imama is really delaying her marriage to Asjad because she loves Jalal Ansar. She proposes to him and he says yes. But he knows his parents won’t agree, nor will Imama’s parents. ...
1 comment
Read more

Sister cities discussed: Canberra and Islamabad

Two months ago, in March 2015, Australia and Pakistan agreed to explore ways to deepen ties. The relationship between Australia and Pakistan has been strong for decades, and the two countries continue to keep dialogues open. The annual bilateral discussions were held in Australia in March to continue engagements on a wide range of matters of mutual interest. The Pakistan delegation discussed points of interest will include sports, agriculture, economic growth, trade, border protection, business, and education. The possible twinning of the cities of Canberra, the capital of Australia, and Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan, were also on the agenda (i.e. called twin towns or sister cities). Sister City relationships are twinning arrangements that build friendships as well as government, business, culture, and community linkages. Canberra currently has international Sister City relationships with Beijing in China and Nara in Japan. One example of existing...
2 comments
Read more

The acacia thorn trees of Kenya

There are nearly 800 species of acacia trees in the world, and most don’t have thorns. The famous "whistling thorn tree" and the Umbrella Thorn tree of Kenya are species of acacia that do have thorns, or spines. Giraffes and other herbivores normally eat thorny acacia foliage, but leave the whistling thorn alone. Usually spines are no deterrent to giraffes. Their long tongues are adapted to strip the leaves from the branches despite the thorns. The thorny acacia like dry and hot conditions. The thorns typically occur in pairs and are 5-8 centimetres (2-3 inches) long. Spines can be straight or curved depending on the species. MARTINA NICOLLS is an international aid and development consultant, and the author of:- Similar But Different in the Animal Kingdom (2017), The Shortness of Life: A Mongolian Lament (2015), Liberia’s Deadest Ends (2012), Bardot’s Comet (2011), Kashmir on a Knife-Edge (2010) and The Suda...
1 comment
Read more