Aspiring improves effectiveness of cancer treatment

Adding aspirin to some existing cancer drugs could increase their effectiveness against a group of tumours resistant to treatment, scientists are hoping clinical trials could soon be underway for people with lung, pancreatic and colorectal cancers that have not responded to other therapies.

Cancers driven by mutations in a group of genes, known as RAS, had a low response to treatments with currently no drug directly targeting them. The group of tumours includes some pancreatic, lung and colorectal cancers with very low survival rates, as well as a small percentage of melanomas.
Addition of aspirin to a cancer inhibitor drug, Sorafenib, strongly enhanced its effectiveness against mouse models of lung cancer and melanoma with RAS mutations.

In a multicentre phase three trial for non-small cell lung cancer, Sorafenib alone showed a marginal improvement for patients. Latest research suggests its combination with aspirin could benefit patients with RAS mutations who don't otherwise respond to other treatments.
The drug combination could potentially reduce the dose of Sorafenib required, improving quality of life for patients by reducing adverse impacts that can lead some patients to stop treatment.

Combining it with a relatively high dose of aspirin, two molecular processes are activated and together they work to kill RAS mutant cancer cells. This dual activation also might prevent the tumours acquiring resistance to the treatment, which can happen when the inhibitor drug is given alone.
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Pomegranate extract alters breast cancer stem cell

Research team has found evidence suggesting that the same antioxidant that gives pomegranate fruit their vibrant red color can alter the characteristics of breast cancer stem cells, showing the superfood's potential for aiding in much more than diabetes or heart disease as previously thought.
Pomegranate extract, derived mainly from the skin of the fruit, is known for having high levels of powerful antioxidants called polyphenols.

Stem cells are unlike other types of cells in that they have a remarkable ability to self-divide and reproduce themselves, even giving rise to other types of cells. This self-dividing nature alone is not dangerous; in fact, normal tissue stem cells can replace dying cells and even repair damaged tissue.
The danger arises if stem cells become cancer stem cells, because their division and renewing ability carries over to cancer progression by aiding in tumor initiation, growth, and even re-initiating cancerous tumors long after a person has been declared cancer-free.

Compounding these issues are the fact that cancer stem cells are thought to be more resistant to therapy than other types of cancer cells. Cancer stem cells have become an important target in cancer therapy and prevention more so than other cancer cells, because of the idea that if the stem cells can be slowed or made "less stem-like," the cancer itself could be slowed too.

Researchers conducted experiments using cancer cells lines that are the prototypes of breast cancer stem cells. These cells, which display the exact properties of cancer stem cells, were treated with diluted pomegranate extract and incubated for periods ranging from one to six days.
During this time, the team measured several markers of breast cancer stem cells in both the pomegranate extract treated cells and untreated cells . They then compared the results between the groups and observed significant differences between the cancer stem cell prototypes that were treated with pomegranate extract.

Additionally, the cells that were treated with pomegranate extract were treated with relatively small amounts – thought to be manageable for a person to consume by simply purchasing the product at a grocery store and incorporating it into their diet. Low concentrations of the extract are able to modify the ability of cancer stem cells to reproduce themselves.

Pomegranate extract inhibits breast cancer cells ability to self-renew. Pomegranate extract converts cancer stem cells to cells that look like more traditional cancer cells and which may successfully be eliminated by cancer drugs.Pomegranate extract shows promising potential for having a positive effect in both the primary cancer prevention and inhibition of the disease progression.
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