Common sweetener in fizzy drinks and yoghurt ‘can kill off the deadliest cancer'
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A COMMON sugar substitute used in fizzy drinks, yoghurts and gum could be used to combat one of the deadliest kinds of cancer.
Researchers fermented the zero calorie sweetener and tested it against pancreatic cancer - finding that it killed off malignant cells but didn't harm healthy ones.
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Stevia extract could be used to help fight pancreatic cancer, researchers suggested
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They tested fermented extracts against pancreatic cancer cells in a lab dish
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Stevia is a shrub-like herb used to sweeten drinks and desserts instead of sugar, which can also be bought as powder or tablets.
Previous research has suggested that stevia leaf extracts could have potential "anticancer effects".
But isolating specific substances within the herb that could help protect against cancer and using them has remained challenging.
Researchers from Hiroshima University suggested fermenting stevia with bacteria can structurally change the extract and produce bioactive metabolites - compounds that can impact living organisms.
Study author Masanori Sugiyama, a professor in the Department of Probiotic Science for Preventive Medicine, said fermentation - or "microbial bio-transformation" - could "enhance the pharmacological efficacy of natural plant extracts" like stevia.
The team tested their theory out against pancreatic cancer cells.
"Pancreatic cancer is a highly malignant tumour of the digestive system with a poor prognosis," co-author Prof Narandalai Danshiitsoodol said.
"Globally, the incidence and mortality rates of pancreatic cancer continue to rise, with a five-year survival rate of less than 10 per cent.
"The primary reason pancreatic cancer is considered one of the deadliest cancers is its subtle, insidious onset, with most patients being diagnosed at an advanced stage and missing the optimal treatment window.
"Furthermore, pancreatic cancer is highly invasive and prone to metastasis, showing significant resistance to existing treatments such as surgery, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy, resulting in very limited therapeutic efficacy.
The most common symptoms of pancreatic cancer - as patients share their stories
"Therefore, there is an urgent need to identify new and effective anticancer compounds, particularly those derived from medicinal plants."
Researchers used lactic acid bacteria to ferment stevia extracts.
They isolated over 1200 strains from fruits, vegetables, flowers, and medicinal plants and evaluated their health benefits.
They finally landed on Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain (FSLE) derived from banana leaves "to enhance the antioxidant and anticancer activities of stevia leaf extract through fermentation".
They tested fermented and non-fermented stevia extracts against pancreatic cancer cells in lab dishes.
Fermented stevia killed pancreatic cancer cells more efficiently than the non-fermented extract, the study published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences found.
This suggested that "the fermentation process enhances the bioactivity of the [stevia] extract", Prof Sugiyama said.
Researchers tested out different fermentation levels to see which was most effective against cancer cells.
Symptoms of pancreatic cancer
PANCREATIC cancer doesn't always cause symptoms in its early stages.
As the cancer grows and you do begin to show signs, these may come and go and be unspecific, making it hard to diagnose, according to Pancreatic Cancer UK.
Common symptoms include: Indigestion - a painful, burning feeling in your chest with an unpleasant taste in your mouth
Tummy or back pain - it may start as general discomfort or tenderness in the tummy area and spread to the back, which get worse lying down and feel better is you sit forward
Diarrhoea and constipation - see a GP if you have runny poos for more than seven days, especially if you've lost weight as well
Steatorrhoea - pale, oily poo that's bulky, smells horrible and floats, making it hard to flush
Losing a lot of weight without meaning to
Jaundice - yellow skin and eyes, as well as dark pee, pale poo and itchy skin
Lower concentrations didn't kill cancer cells immediately, but they slowed their growth.
Healthy kidney cells were mostly unaffected by the stevia extracts.
Researchers plan to study how fermented stevia affects cancer in mice next, to see how various dosages will work in living organisms.
'The present study has substantially enhanced our understanding of the mechanism of action of the Lactobacillus plantarum SN13T strain in the fermentation of herbal extracts, while also offering a valuable research perspective on the potential application of probiotics as natural anti-tumour agents,' Prof Danshiitsoodol said.
In the UK, about 10,800 people are diagnosed with pancreatic cancer each year and 9,600 pass away from it, according to Cancer Research UK.
It's the fifth most common cause of cancer death.
Since the early 1990s, pancreatic cancer incidence rates have increased by 18 per cent in the UK.
The disease is often diagnosed at a late stage because it frequently lacks noticeable symptoms in the early stages.
Surgery, chemotherapy and radiation can help extend patients' lives.
A blood test to pick up early signs of pancreatic cancer is being trialled in patients with a recent diagnosis of type 2 diabetes - a known risk factor for the disease.
Meanwhile, researchers at Case Western Reserve University and Cleveland Clinic have developed a new type of jab to fight pancreatic cancer.
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Sign up for Scottish Sun newsletter Sign up 8 Melanie Rushforth is terrified her 20-year-old tattoo could have caused her cancer Credit: Melanie Rushforth 8 The 58-year-old was diagnosed with lymphoma - a type of blood cancer Credit: Melanie Rushforth The administrator is midway through treatment for lymphoma – a type of blood cancer. In March, a study by the University of Southern Denmark found a link between tattoos and an increased risk of developing blood cancers, including lymphoma. In fact, the increased risk could be as much as 170 per cent, something Melanie wasn't aware of during her various tatts between 2005 and 2016. It was only after being diagnosed in April that she became aware of the connection. 'In February I noticed a lump on my neck,' Melanie, who is married to Ian, 62, an HGV driver, tells Sun Health. 'At first, I didn't think much of it. But I have an underactive thyroid, so I decided to get it checked just in case. 'The doctor didn't seem too concerned. He ordered some blood tests and told me to come back in four weeks if the lump didn't go down. 'The blood tests were fine; he thought it might have been glandular fever, but that came back negative. 'By the time the four weeks were up, the lump had gone, so I didn't go back.' But two weeks later, Melanie's lump returned - much bigger and more painful than before - so she made another appointment with her GP. People with tattoos have a 21% higher risk of lymphoma blood cancer - even if they're tiny, study suggests 'I thankfully saw the same doctor, and that's when he first mentioned the possibility of cancer,' she says. 'He said it might be nothing but sent me for an ultrasound and possibly a biopsy.' The scans showed Melanie had lymphoma, a type of blood cancer that originates in the lymphatic system. 'I was diagnosed with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma – DLBCL,' she says. One of the main symptoms of Melanie's condition is swollen lymph nodes, but others include pain in the tummy, chest or bone, night sweats, a high temperature and unexplained weight loss. Melanie, who works at the University of Lincoln, says: 'It's in one spot on my neck and classified as stage one. 'Thankfully, it was caught early so I'm on a chemotherapy regimen called R-CHOP which is six sessions, one every three weeks. 'I had my third session on June 30 and treatment should finish by late August or early September, when I might switch to radiotherapy depending on how things go.' I was shaking when I came across articles linking tattoos to blood cancers. I started to wonder, 'Have I done this to myself?' Melanie Rushforth While Melanie's consultant told her not to turn to Google to check her diagnosis, it was while researching the condition she found the link between tattoos and cancer. The latest study, published in BMC Public Health, analysed the health data of 5,900 twins born between 1960 and 1996 up until 2017. Over the course of several decades, the risk of lymphoma - a type of blood cancer that affects the immune system - was found to be three times higher for those with large tatts. 'For larger tattoos – those bigger than the palm of a hand, the hazard was 140 per cent,' study author assistant professor Signe Bedsted Clemmensen said. 'We found that people with tattoos had a 60 per cent higher hazard – a measure of 'immediate risk' – of developing skin cancer compared to those without tattoos.' Prof Clemmensen says the study findings are a long time overdue. 'Our study found evidence of associations between having tattoos and development of lymphoma and skin cancer,' she says. 'While this doesn't prove causation, it highlights a potential health concern that warrants further investigation. 'It has long been known that tattoo ink doesn't just stay in the skin. It also accumulates in nearby lymph nodes.' 8 Melanie wasn't aware that studies show tattoos can increase your risk of cancer by as much as 170 per cent Credit: Melanie Rushforth 8 She got her various inkings between 2005 and 2016 Credit: Melanie Rushforth 8 'I started to wonder, 'Have I done this to myself?'' she says Credit: Melanie Rushforth She explains that this is one of the potential mechanisms that could explain why tattoos might lead to cancer. 'Firstly, there are carcinogenic properties of substances used in tattoo ink,' Prof Clemmensen says. 'Secondly, we suspect that tattoo ink as a foreign substance can cause chronic inflammation in the lymph nodes, which over time can lead to abnormal cell growth and an increased risk of cancer. 'Despite repeated calls from health authorities for research into the potential long-term health effects of tattooing, there were no scientific studies addressing this issue when we began planning our study. 'That gap in knowledge is what prompted us to take a closer look.' What are the signs of lymphoma? LYMPHOMA is a term for cancer that starts in the lymph system - a network of vessels and glands that spans your body. There are two main kinds of lymphoma – Hodgkin Lymphoma and Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma. Lymphoma can cause many different symptoms, depending on which type of lymphoma it is and where it develops in the body. The most typical signs are: Swollen lymph nodes, such as in the neck, armpit or groin area Night sweats Extreme tiredness Itching Unexplained weight loss Fever Excessive bleeding, such as nosebleeds, heavy periods and spots of blood under the skin Other signs of lymphoma in a more localised area include: Swelling of the stomach, loss of appetite and other abdominal symptoms Coughing, shortness of breath, or chest pain Dr Rachel Orritt, health information manager at Cancer Research UK, said: 'There isn't enough evidence to say that tattoos increase people's cancer risk, and more research is needed. 'This is a difficult area to study, because there are lots of different possible ingredients in tattoo ink, making it tricky to understand the effects. 'If people are concerned about their cancer risk, there are proven steps they can take to reduce it. 'These include not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, and enjoying the sun safely.' For Melanie though, the realisations that her tattoos could have caused or contributed to her condition has been incredibly difficult to deal with. She says: 'My husband and I were searching everything, and I came across a couple of articles linking tattoos to lymphoma or blood cancers. It understandably really worried me. 'I have four tattoos and I'd planned to get another this year to cover a scar on my leg. 'I was shaking when I read those articles though. I started to wonder, 'Have I done this to myself?' 'It added a whole new layer of stress.' 'Like a phoenix rising from the ashes' While Melanie's diagnosis could be entirely coincidental, Prof Clemmensen suggests the research is too hard to ignore. She says more education is needed so people can make informed choices. 'Ultimately, it's a personal decision,' she says. 'Each individual must consider whether they're comfortable with the potential health risks associated with tattooing. 'As with smoking, alcohol consumption, or highly processed foods, it's important that people have access to reliable information. 'Our role as researchers is to provide that evidence so individuals – and policymakers – can make informed decisions.' Melanie had planned to get a post-cancer tattoo, which she is now scrapping. 'It was of a phoenix rising from the ashes,' she says. 'It felt symbolic - about survival, rebirth, and strength - but I won't get anything done for the foreseeable future – not after reading the study. 'I love body art. It's a personal expression, but I won't get any more tattoos.' 8 Melanie is halfway through treatment for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma Credit: Melanie Rushforth 8 Her tattoos symbolise her love for her family Credit: Melanie Rushforth
