Flaxseed might benefit cancer treatment: study

Flaxseed and ginseng are the latest of nature's weapons added to the arsenal in the fight against cancer, with new studies suggesting that both can be effective in helping the treatment of certain forms of cancer. Researchers from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore evaluated 161 men who were due to undergo prostate cancer surgery. Half of the participants were given flaxseed in their diets as a supplement, consuming 30g of flaxseed daily for a month. The other half of the participants were put on a lowfat diet. The study results showed that flaxseed had the effect of slowing down the growth rate of a cancerous tumour. Post-surgery, the researchers examined the tumours and found that the cancer cells in the group of men given flaxseed as a supplement grew about 30 to 40 per cent slower compared to men who were on a low-fat diet. According to Ms Magdalin Cheong, chief dietitian and senior manager of Dietetics and Food Services at Changi General Hospital, flaxseed is beneficial because it is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and high in fibre, especially lignan, a type of fibre which helps prevent hormone-related cancers. Not a common staple in most Asian diets, Ms Cheong also suggests getting these nutrients from flaxseed replacements. "Many other foods contain omega-3 fatty acids. So, it's not necessary to eat only flaxseeds," she said, adding that good substitutes for flaxseed include salmon, mackerel and sardines which are also omega-3 rich foods and fruits and vegetables, which are high in fibre. In another study on the effects of ginseng conducted by the Mayo Clinic in Minnesota, researchers gave the herb to patients who suffered from different cancers. Patients were given 1,000mg and 2,000mg doses of powdered ginseng capsules a day. The result? 25 per cent of patients who were on the supplement reported an improvement in the cancer symptoms they experienced. Ms Cheong said: "Ginseng is a herb derived from dried root and is associated with alleviating fatigue in cancer patients. It is described as an adaptogen - a drug that increases resistance to infection or stress. Ginseng is also commonly used as a tonic for convalescence or general exhaustion." However, she also cautioned that patients with certain conditions such as hypertension and hypoglycaemia or those who are on steroid therapy should avoid taking the herb. - TODAY/ym