If the thought of eating servings of broccoli and cabbage every day does not appeal to you, then you should read this post to learn why you should grin and bear it.
Multiple recent studies continue to document diindolylmethane (DIM) as one of the most effective phytonutrients in the prevention and treatment of breast, prostate, colon and pancreatic cancers. DIM is the compound found in cruciferous vegetables that regulates hormone balance and cell behavior.
“In a study published in the May 1, 2008 Biochemical Pharmacology Journal, researchers report having previously shown that DIM is able to stop tumors from establishing their own blood supply (angiogenesis) in cultured endothelial cells in rodents. In this study, they demonstrated that DIM reduces the level of hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-1alpha in hypoxic tumor cell lines, as well as HIF-1 transcriptional activity. Moreover, the level of oxygen in tumor cells was increased. This study is the first to show that DIM can decrease the accumulation and activity of the key angiogenesis regulatory factor, HIF-1alpha, in hypoxic tumor cells.
The April 22, 2008 Pharmaceutical Research reports that prostrate apoptosis response-4 (Par-4) is a unique pro-apoptotic protein that selectively induces apoptosis in prostate cancer cells. Apoptosis is the planned appropriate death of cells without which cells may exhibit excess proliferation. Researchers sought to identify the functional significance of Par-4 in pancreatic cancer. Results revealed that low doses of the B-DIM (the most bioavailable formulation of DIM) induced Par-4 in pancreatic cancer cells. DIM reduced cancer cell viability and caused cell growth inhibition and apoptosis.
The Cancer Letter, March 28, 2008 reports that the interaction between the chemokine receptor and its unique ligand is known to mediate the progression and metastasis of breast, prostate and other cancers. Organs to which these cancers metastasize secrete the particular ligand which binds to the chemokine receptor on the surface of primary