Do you like pizza and other Italian food? Good. Keep eating it. New preliminary studies show that oregano, an herb commonly found in Italian cuisine, may kill prostate cancer cells. A study by The Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology shows that oregano’s main component, carvacrol, may have cancer fighting effects. According to Supriya Bavadekar, assistant professor of Pharmacy at Long Island University’s Arnold & Marie Schwartz College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences, “There are so many beneficial effects [of oregano] such as antibacterial properties and anti-inflammatory properties.”
Bavadekar’s team is still running tests but preliminary results found that carvacrol may be a potent anti-cancer agent. It eliminated nearly all of the prostate cancer cells it was tested against. The team was able to gather that the carvacrol stimulated apoptosis- or “cell suicide”- in the prostate cancer cells.
Figuring out exactly how and why the cells are reacting the way they are to the carvacrol is the next step in the research. Finding the answers to those questions could lead to a better and safer treatment option for those suffering from prostate cancer. Since oregano is considered a safe food component this could translate into a drug with lesser adverse effects in patients. According to the American Cancer Society, prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death for men in the United States, with more than 240,000 new cases expected to be diagnosed in 2012.
Currently there are several treatment options available for those diagnosed with prostate cancer. Moore Regional Hospital offers chemotherapy, radiation therapy, intensity modulated radiation therapy, image-guided radiation therapy, high dose rate (HDR) brachytherapy, surgery, robotic surgery, and biologic therapy.
In addition, FirstHealth Moore Regional hospital is currently conducting three clinical trials for prostate cancer. Visit our website for more information on these prostate cancer clinical trials.
FirstHealth Moore Regional Hospital has expertise providing cancer treatment to the Pinehurst, Sanford, Raeford, Laurinburg, Lumberton, Troy and Rockingham regions of North Carolina. For more information on prostate cancer treatment options call (910) 715-3500.
