Curcumin and Cancer

In experiments on tumors, Curcumin was shown to "directly and irreversibly" affect the growth of new cancers.[2] It appears to suppress the onset of tumors as well as their growth and metastasis.[3] Doctors at the National Institute of Health are excited about the possibilities of using Curcumin to treat cancer. In their words, Curcumin is, "an exciting compound because it can be taken orally and may not have any side effects for cancer patients."

• Curcumin and Lung Cancer
  Curcumin also appears to reduce the risk of lung cancer associated with smoking. Experiments on Curcumin and nicotine, a powerful cancer-causing chemical, showed that Curcumin reduced the effects of nicotine as a carcinogen by 50%.[4] Curcumin specifically showed significant potential in the reducing the chances of lung cancer,[5] colon cancer,[6] and as a preventive for cancer in the liver, duodenum, and kidneys.[7] Doctors stress that more research is needed, but the initial results about Curcumin and cancer are very encouraging.
  
  These scientific findings seem to be confirming what millions of Indians already know about the health benefits of curry, Turmeric, and Curcumin.
• Curcumin and Prostate Cancer
  Curcumin appears to slow or prevent the growth of prostate cancer, the most common cancer in American men. Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths in American men, surpassed only by lung cancer in total number of deaths. On average, an American man has about a 30 percent risk of having prostate cancer in his lifetime. As you age, your risk of prostate cancer increases. By age 50, up to one in four men have some cancerous cells in the prostate gland. By age 80, that number has increased to one in two.[8] In a study of prostate cancer cells, Curcumin inhibited cell growth, thus demonstrating a potential for slowing the progression of prostate cancer.[9], [10] Researchers concluded that Curcumin may provide "an alternative, nontoxic" means of treating prostate cancer in men.[11]
• Curcumin and Breast Cancer
  Curcumin has shown potential as a treatment for breast cancer.[12] Researchers in China found that Curcumin exerts multiple suppressive effects on human breast carcinoma cells.[13] Other researchers note that the results of studies on Curcumin and breast cancer are mixed and that more research is needed. As always, consult your doctor before adding any herbal supplements to your treatment regimen.
• Colorectal cancer and Curcumin
  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. Researchers at the University of California studied the effects of Curcumin on colorectal cancer and found that "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."[14] Treatment with Curcumin has fewer side effects than some other cancer treatment. One researcher wrote, "Naturally occurring COX-2 inhibitors such as Curcumin and certain phytosterols have been proven to be effective as chemopreventive agents against colon carcinogenesis with minimal gastrointestinal toxicity." [15]