Natural Turmeric Help to Prevent and Treat Liver Cancer
Research suggests that turmeric and its compounds could help prevent liver cancer. This is good news, since rates of hepatocellular carcinoma (also known as hepatoma) are increasing. Hepatocellular carcinoma is aggressive and is the most common type of cancer that first develops in the liver. Symptoms may include upper abdominal pain, swollen abdomen, and/or jaundice. (vi.16, 64, 240, 326)
The curcumin compounds in turmeric may also help treat cholangiocarcinoma. This highly aggressive, often fatal tumor grows in cells that line the bile ducts, which are part of the liver's biliary system. (vi.137)
Risk Factors for Liver Cancer
Inflammation and chronic injury (technically called cirrhosis) which lead to fibrotic scarring cause most cases of liver cancer. (vi.64)
Risk factors that can lead to liver fibrosis include:
- Chronic excess alcohol consumption. (vi.319)
- Chronic hepatitis B and hepatitis C infections. (vi.327)
- Epstein Barr viral infection. (vi.318)
- Herpes infections. (vi.318)
- HIV infection. (vi.318)
- HPV infection. (vi.318)
- Iron overload. (vi.64)
- Metabolic syndrome. (vi.319)
- Pesticide exposure. (vi.221)
- Toxins (such as aflatoxin and arsenic). (vi.16, 319, 328, 329)
For cholangiocarcinoma, risk factors include: (vi.4, 137)
- Inflammation in the bile ducts.
- Infections (e.g., caused by parasites such as Clonorchis sinensis and Opisthorchis viverrini).
- Bile duct cysts.
- Gallstones in the bile ducts.
Treating Liver Cancer is Difficult
Surgery is considered the best treatment, especially if the cancer is caught early. Unfortunately, tumors in the liver and cholangiocarcinoma are rarely discovered at that point. In fact, only about 10% of patients with cholangiocarcinoma, and 10-30% of those with hepatocellular carcinoma, even have a surgical treatment option. This is because the cancer is usually caught after it has spread throughout the liver or bile ducts and beyond. (vi.64, 137, 326)
Even in those where surgery is an option, both types of cancer frequently recurs and the prognosis is usually poor. About 20% of patients with liver cancer show some response to chemotherapy, but it does not improve survival rates. (vi.64, 137, 326)
How Turmeric Works Against Liver Cancer
The nutrients and polyphenols in turmeric can help keep the liver healthy and functioning well. This is particularly important because cancer in the liver is most often caused by scarring or chronic injury related to infection, toxins, or disease. (vi.64)
In addition, turmeric and its compounds also show antitumor effects specifically against liver cancer cells. Some of turmeric compounds work similarly to FDA-approved chemotherapy drugs: (vi.67, 81, 84, 137, 275, 327, 330-331)
Turmeric Compound | What It Does |
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Question: How does ar-turmerone fight liver cancer? Answer:
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Question: How does caffeic acid fight liver cancer? Answer: Research shows caffeic acid suppresses MMP-9, enzymes that promote invasiveness. (vi.78, 275) |
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Question: How does calebin-A, a protein in turmeric, fight liver cancer? Answer: Calebin-A blocks the growth of liver cancer cells and triggers cancer cell death even better than curcumin. (vi.332) |
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Curcumin (vi.74) |
Question: How does curcumin fight liver cancer? Answer:
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Question: How does eugenol fight liver cancer? Answer: Eugenol is an antioxidant compound that helps prevent liver cancer caused by toxins. (vi.78) |
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Question: How does farnesol fight liver cancer? Answer:
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Question: How does ferulic fight liver cancer? Answer: Ferulic acid blocks the growth of liver tumors and increases apoptosis in liver cancer cells. (vi.334) |
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Question: How does geraniol fight liver cancer? Answer:
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Question: How does limonene fight liver cancer? Answer: |
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Question: How does myricetin fight liver cancer? Answer: |
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Question: How does protocatechuic acid fight liver cancer? Answer: Protocatechuic acid promotes tumor suppressors and kinase enzymes that suppress liver cancer cell growth. (vi.334) |
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Question: How does quercetin fight liver cancer? Answer:
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Question: How does resveratrol fight liver cancer? Answer:
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Whole Turmeric |
Question: How does whole turmeric fight liver cancer? Answer:
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Turmeric Leaf Oil |
Question: How does turmeric leaf oil fight liver cancer? Answer: Turmeric leaf oil is toxic against aflatoxins from Aspergillus flavus, a fungus known to cause liver cancer. Main components are ρ-cymene, and terpinolene. (vi.335) |
Embolized Curcuma Aromatic Oil |
Question: How does turmeric oil fight liver cancer? Answer: In 32 patients with primary liver cancer, administration of turmeric oil by arterial infusion along with Chinese herbal medicine supplements resulted in: (vi.338)
Although these results were not statistically significant, patients treated with the herbal therapies had better median survival times and greater 1-year survival rate. (vi.338) |
Fermented Turmeric Supplements |
Question: How does fermented turmeric fight liver cancer? Answer: In a clinical study, fermented turmeric supplements normalized liver enzymes. Experts suggest this could help prevent liver disease. (vi.339) |
Concerns with Using Quercetin and Curcumin Together
The effect of quercetin and curcumin in combination (as separate supplements) should be taken into consideration when treating liver cancers. Administered together, quercetin actually causes more free-curcumin to pass through the liver. It does so by binding to albumin in the plasma and membranes in the liver. Albumin is also a substance present in tumor cells, but binding to albumin prevents curcumin from crossing the cancer cell membrane and entering the malignant cell. (vi.340)
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