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Curcumin Integrative, Non-Toxic Colorectal Cancer Therapy

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Combining curcumin with conventional chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-FU could provide more effective treatment strategies against chemoresistant colon cancer cells.

Curcumin gives a one-two punch to colorectal cancer. As the studies linked and excerpted below explain, curcumin kills colorectal cancer by itself as well as enhancing the efficacy of 5-FU as a colorectal cancer therapy.

Please don’t be surprised or dismayed if your oncologist is skeptical or negative about the idea of curcumin supplementation in conjunction with your conventional chemotherapy. Conventional oncology studies only FDA approved therapies. That’s what they do…

I am both a cancer survivor and cancer coach. Your job is to learn about and employ those therapies that are most effective for you be they conventional or non-conventional. I supplement with Life Extension Super Bio-Curcumin as this formula is much more bioavailable than plain curcumin and this brand has been evaluated and approved by ConsumerLab.com.

Please scroll down the page, post a question or comment and I will reply to you ASAP.

Thank you,

David Emerson

  • Cancer Survivor
  • Cancer Coach
  • Director PeopleBeatingCancer

Recommended Reading:


Curcumin Enhances the Effect of Chemotherapy against Colorectal Cancer Cells by Inhibition of NF-κB and Src Protein Kinase Signaling Pathways

“Objective-Development of treatment resistance and adverse toxicity associated with classical chemotherapeutic agents highlights the need for safer and effective therapeutic approaches. Herein, we examined the effectiveness of a combination treatment regimen of 5-fluorouracil (5-FU) and curcumin in colorectal cancer (CRC) cells…

Results-The individual IC50 of curcumin and 5-FU were approximately 20 µM and 5 µM in HCT116 cells and 5 µM and 1 µM in HCT116+ch3 cells, respectively (p<0.05). Pretreatment with curcumin significantly reduced survival in both cells; HCT116+ch3 cells were considerably more sensitive to treatment with curcumin and/or 5-FU than wild-type HCT116 cells. The IC50 values for combination treatment were approximately 5 µM and 1 µM in HCT116 and 5 µM and 0.1 µM in HCT116+ch3, respectively (p<0.05). Curcumin induced apoptosis in both cells by inducing mitochondrial degeneration and cytochrome c release. Cell cycle analysis revealed that the anti-proliferative effect of curcumin and/or 5-FU was preceded by accumulation of CRC cells in the S cell cycle phase and induction of apoptosis. Curcumin potentiated 5-FU-induced expression or cleavage of pro-apoptotic proteins (caspase-8, -9, -3, PARP and Bax), and down-regulated anti-apoptotic (Bcl-xL) and proliferative (cyclin D1) proteins. Although 5-FU activated NF-κB/PI-3K/Src pathway in CRC cells, this was down-regulated by curcumin treatment through inhibition of IκBα kinase activation and IκBα phosphorylation.

Conclusions-Combining curcumin with conventional chemotherapeutic agents such as 5-FU could provide more effective treatment strategies against chemoresistant colon cancer cells. The mechanisms involved may be mediated via NF-κB/PI-3K/Src pathways and NF-κB regulated gene products.

Chemotherapeutic potential of curcumin for colorectal cancer.

“Colorectal cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths in the Western world. More than 56,000 newly diagnosed colorectal cancer patients die each year in the United States. Available therapies are either not effective or have unwanted side effects…

Curcumin the yellow pigment in turmeric has been widely used for centuries in the Asian countries without any toxic effects… Curcumin is a naturally occurring powerful anti-inflammatory medicine. The anticancer properties of curcumin have been shown in cultured cells and animal studies. Curcumin inhibits lipooxygenase activity and is a specific inhibitor of cyclooxygenase-2 expression. Curcumin inhibits the initiation of carcinogenesis by inhibiting the cytochrome P-450 enzyme activity and increasing the levels of glutathione-S-transferase. Curcumin inhibits the promotion/progression stages of carcinogenesis. The anti-tumor effect of curcumin has been attributed in part to the arrest of cancer cells in S, G2/M cell cycle phase and induction of apoptosis. Curcumin inhibits the growth of DNA mismatch repair defective colon cancer cells. Therefore, curcumin may have value as a safe chemotherapeutic agent for the treatment of tumors exhibiting DNA mismatch repair deficient and microsatellite instable phenotype. Curcumin should be considered as a safe, non-toxic and easy to use chemotherapeutic agent for colorectal cancers arise in the setting of chromosomal instability as well as microsatellite instability.”

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10 comments
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Sue Thesner says 4 years ago

my daughter has cervical ca which we suspect has moved also to her colon and rectum as well as her kidneys and bladder. The tumour has blocked her bladder and kidneys and she now has 2 nephrosomy tubes fitted. She is due to have stents .. not sure if it will be one or two.. IF the tumour has shrunk. She is currently taking Artimisinin plus loads of antioxidant supplements. Will curcumin be effective in treating her cancer? Do you think we can make her the turmeric tea with black pepper and coconut oil? Thank you

Reply
    David Emerson says 4 years ago

    Hi Sue,
    I am sorry to read of your daughter’s situation. It sounds like you are doing everything you can. Your question “will curcumin…” is difficult for me to answer not knowing many specifics. I will say however, that curcumin has been shown to be integrative with conventional chemo as well as apoptotic (kill) many cancers. I have taken 400 mg of curcumin for years now.

    I wish I could be more help.

    Hang in there,

    David Emerson

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