Quercetin & Cancer

Quercetin is a natural compound found in fruits and vegetables. Quercetin has strong antioxidant qualities, which means it has protective effects against cellular damage caused by free radicals, says University of Maryland Medical Center. Because it has antioxidant effects, quercetin has been researched for a variety of health conditions, including allergies, heart diseases and cancer. If you have been diagnosed with cancer and consider taking quercetin, you should first talk to your health care provider.

Cancer Prevention

Test tube studies and research conducted in animal subjects found that quercetin and other related plant compounds may stop the growth of cancer cells, particularly in cases of breast, prostate, colon and lung, endometrial and ovarian cancers. Larger studies, however, are needed to confirm the role of quercetin in preventing cancer, says UMMC.

Liver Cancer

Quercetin significantly inhibits the growth of precancerous cells affecting the liver, according to a study published in February 2011 issue of "Nutrition and Cancer." This study, conducted by a research team from India used laboratory tests of liver tissue from animal subjects and a dose of 5 to 25 mg of quercetin per kilogram has been used and yielded positive findings.

Prostate Cancer

In test tubes, quercetin has the ability to inhibit the spread of prostate cancer cells by controlling some proteins involved in the migration of cancer cells to other organs, according to a study published in February 2011 issue of "Cell Biochemistry and Function." The authors suggest that quercetin may be beneficial for managing prostate cancer, particularly in advanced stages, when cancer cells are not confined to the prostate gland.

Breast Cancer

"Angiogenesis" is a medical term that describes the formation of blood supply around cells. In cancer, angiogenesis has a key role in the growth or the cancer cells as well as the spread of these cells to other organs because these new formed blood vessels feed the cancerous tumors, explains National Cancer Institute.
Quercetin has been found to stop the angiogenesis of the breast cancer cells, particularly in those which have been resistant to conventional drug tamoxifen, according to a study published in November 2010 issue of "Food and Chemical Toxicity." The authors concluded that quercetin may have therapeutic potential in managing breast cancer that fails to respond to tamoxifen.

Considerations

All forms of cancers have to be strictly monitored and treated accordingly. Consult a qualified health care provider to find out if you may benefit from taking quercetin for your condition. Keep in mind that quercetin does not replace any traditional anti-cancer therapy and is not approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat cancer.