Brazil Nuts Could Be the Key to Understanding How to Treat Aggressive Breast Cancer

Could the humble Brazil nut hold the key to fighting one of the most aggressive forms of breast cancer? A study has revealed a surprising link between selenium, a mineral abundant in these nuts, and triple-negative breast cancer.¹

But here’s the twist – it’s not what you might expect.

The Power of Selenium

Instead of boosting cancer-fighting abilities, selenium might actually be the Achilles’ heel of these deadly cells. This discovery could revolutionize treatment for a disease affecting thousands of women annually.

This unexpected finding might just change the game in the battle against breast cancer. Let me explain.

Triple-Negative Breast Cancer & Selenium Dependence

Triple-negative breast cancer is notoriously difficult to treat, often resisting conventional therapies. However, researchers at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow have uncovered an intriguing paradox.

While selenium is generally considered a beneficial antioxidant, it turns out that cancer cells, particularly when they’re sparse and trying to spread, are heavily reliant on this mineral.

Why We Need Selenium

Dr. Saverio Tardito, the lead researcher, explains, “We need selenium to survive, so, removing it from our diet is not an option. However, if we can find a treatment that interferes with the uptake of this mineral by triple negative breast cancer cells, we could potentially prevent this cancer spreading to other parts of the body.” (ref)

This finding flips our understanding of selenium’s role in cancer on its head. Instead of boosting our defenses, in this case, it might be inadvertently aiding the enemy.

Cancer Cell Survival Mechanisms & Oleic Acid

The study, published in EMBO Molecular Medicine, reveals a survival mechanism employed by triple-negative breast cancer cells. When these cells cluster together, they produce a fat molecule containing oleic acid – the same healthy fat found in olive oil.

This molecule acts as a shield, protecting the cancer cells from a type of cell death called ferroptosis, which is triggered by selenium starvation.

However, when these cancer cells are isolated, such as when they’re trying to spread to other parts of the body, they become extremely vulnerable without selenium.

By interfering with selenium metabolism in these sparse cancer cells, researchers found they could effectively eliminate them, particularly those circulating in the blood and attempting to spread to the lungs.

Potential Treatment Implications

This discovery opens up exciting new possibilities for treatment. The challenge lies in being able to reduce normal tissue toxicities of conventional treatments without compromising their antitumor effects. 

Current doses of selenium are empirical or guided by pharmacokinetics, although the relationship between pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics has not been established in humans.

Therapeutic synergy has been demonstrated between supranutritional doses of selenium compounds and chemotherapy drugs, including cisplatin, carboplatin, oxaliplatin, irinotecan, docetaxel, fluorouracil and doxorubicin in human tumor xenografts of various cancers. 

This suggests that selenium could potentially be used as an adjuvant therapy to enhance the efficacy of conventional cancer treatments.

Broader Implications for Cancer Research & Nutrition

While this research focuses on triple-negative breast cancer, it highlights the complex relationship between nutrients and cancer. It’s a reminder that in the world of cancer research, things are rarely black and white.

What’s beneficial in one context might be harmful in another.

Findings like these underscore the importance of nuanced, targeted approaches to treatment. The humble Brazil nut, it seems, might just be pointing the way to smarter, more effective cancer therapies.

Source:

1. EMBO Molecular Medicine