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January 10, 2005
In
laboratory experiments using breast-cancer cells, a US
team has shown that oleic
acid cuts the levels
of the breast cancer-promoting gene Her-2/neu by up to 46
per cent.
High levels of this gene are found in a fifth of
all breast cancers and are particularly active in cancers
that are resistant to treatment.
Some breast-cancer drugs,
such
as Herceptin, work by targeting this gene. But women who
consume a lot of olive oil enjoy Herceptin-like benefits.
Javier Menendez,
of the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine
in Chicago, who led the research, published in Annals of
Oncology, said: “Our findings underpin epidemiological studies
that show that the Mediterranean diet has significant protective
effects
against cancer, heart disease and ageing.”
Breast cancer
is common in northern Europe, but much less so in the south.
Studies
indicate that as many as 15 per cent of breast cancer cases
in Britain might be avoided by shifting to a Mediterranean
diet.
Copyright 2005 Times
Newspapers Ltd.
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