Scientists at the Cancer Research UK Cambridge Institute have published a paper in Nature this month proving that the amino acid, asparagine, commonly found in asparagus and other food sources could increase the risk of breast cancer metastasizing.
The study was carried out on mice with an aggressive form of breast cancer and the results were something to take note of: While the mice on a normal diet would develop secondary tumors in vital organs (such as the heart and brain) and die within a few weeks; the mice that were given a low-asparagine diet, had a significant drop in the amount of secondary tumors in spreading to vital organs and in result, lived for far longer.
How does this work?
If you develop a malignant tumor, it’s unlikely to be deadly until it metastasizes. In fact a cancerous cell actually needs to adapt quite a bit to your body before it can even break off the main tumour, survive in your bloodstream and find a new spot where it can continue to grow and spread.
Through copious research this team of scientists were able to prove that aggressive breast cancer tumors in mice who were given a low-asparagine diet, or even drugs that worked to block asparagine (called L-asparaginase), actually really struggled to spread. Proving that asparagine could actually be quite a necessary component needed for a cancer cell to metastasize.
What does it mean for Asparagus lovers?
It’s not time to give up your favourite veg just yet asparagus lovers. While the results were conclusive in mice, until this research can be carried out in humans – we don’t know if the results will be as convincing for us, although it could be likely. And if this research is proven in humans too, it’s far more probably women suffering with aggressive breast cancer will be given nutrient-specific drinks that have no asparagine and all the necessary nutrients they will need to fight the cancer effectively.
This in itself won’t be too hard to achieve as the asparagine inhibiting drug, L-asparaginase, is already being used to treat other forms of cancer. Cancer Research UK’s chief clinician, Prof Charles Swanton, tells BBC News: “It’s possible that in future, this drug could be repurposed to help treat breast cancer patients.” However, further trials will be necessary in order for these findings to be conclusive.
Did you know: Asparagine can also be found in beef, poultry, eggs, seafood, a variety of vegetables (including asparagus), nuts, legumes and soy.
What does the future hold?
While this news is positive and very exciting, it doesn’t stop here. Using L-asparaginase to actively treat aggressive breast cancer is not the only thing that was established by this Cambridge research team during this trail.
One of the scientists, Prof Gregory Hannon told the BBC: “It was a really huge change, [the cancers] were very difficult to find. We’re seeing increasing evidence that specific cancers are addicted to specific components of our diet. In the future, by modifying a patient’s diet or by using drugs that change the way that tumour cells can access these nutrients we hope to improve outcomes in therapy.”
It seems as though, through these findings, cancer treatment research could continue to become more individualized and specific to each case – allowing more patients to be treated effectively.
