Breast cancer is the second most common cancer among American women, according to the American Cancer Society. The disease begins when breast cells in the glandular tissue or the ducts become abnormal and grow out of control. Eventually, a tumor forms that may spread through the lymph system to other parts of the body. Milk thistle is a traditional herbal remedy that may help prevent breast cancer or improve the outcome when cancer is already present. Discuss its use with your doctor before adding it to your regimen.
Causes and Risk Factors
Although the cause of breast cancer is unknown, it seems to involve changes in breast cell DNA that may be inherited as abnormal genes, such as the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. DNA may also be changed in breast cells during a woman's life, causing them to grow abnormally. Risk factors for breast cancer include having a family history of the disease, being older than 55, being Caucasian or having dense breast tissue. The American Cancer Society also says that your risk is increased if you started menstruating before age 12 or entered menopause after age 55.
Milk Thistle
Milk thistle, or Silybum marianum, originated in the Mediterranean region and now grows worldwide. The seeds, pods and fruit of the plant have been part of traditional medicine for thousands of years. Practitioners recommend the herb for several complaints, especially liver and gall bladder problems. The biologically active ingredient in milk thistle is called silymarin, which is a group of natural chemicals that are all flavonoids.
Silymarin
Silymarin is an antioxidant that protects cells from free radicals, byproducts of metabolism that damage cellular DNA and are potentially carcinogenic. It may also stop division and induce death of different types of cancer cells. A paper published in "Cancer Letters" in 2008 reviews many laboratory studies conducted with silymarin and breast or other types of cancer cells in culture, concluding that the compound blocks many stages of carcinogenesis. These are encouraging findings, although clinical studies with human subjects are still needed.
Recommendations and Precautions
Milk thistle is available from most health food stores in capsules usually standardized for their content of silymarin. The herb is generally considered safe, although it may cause mild diarrhea. Do not take milk thistle if you are pregnant or breastfeeding. Milk thistle may interfere with some prescription medications. Consult your doctor to discuss if milk thistle is a good choice for your situation.
