Can we eat to starve cancer? - William Li

Summary

The script discusses the medical revolution of angiogenesis, a process that controls blood vessel growth, which is crucial in both healing and disease, particularly cancer. It explains how blood vessels adapt to different body environments and how their regulation can prevent or promote diseases. The speaker highlights anti-angiogenic therapy as a novel approach to cancer treatment by starving tumors of blood supply. Additionally, the script explores the potential of diet in preventing angiogenesis-related diseases, suggesting that certain foods may inhibit blood vessel growth to cancers and obesity, offering a natural, preventative strategy.

Takeaways

• 🌟 Angiogenesis is a medical revolution that has the potential to help conquer diseases like cancer by focusing on the body's process of growing blood vessels.
• 🔍 The human body contains about 60,000 miles of blood vessels, including 19 billion capillaries, which are essential for various functions like detoxification, gas exchange, and muscle contraction.
• 🌱 Blood vessels adapt to their environment, performing different roles in different organs, and are mostly established before birth, with only a few exceptions like wound healing and pregnancy.
• 🛡️ The body regulates blood vessel growth through a balance of stimulators and inhibitors, which can be disrupted in diseases, leading to conditions like insufficient or excessive angiogenesis.
• 🏥 Angiogenesis is a hallmark of cancer, where tumors grow by forming new blood vessels to supply them with oxygen and nutrients, a process that can be targeted with anti-angiogenic therapy.
• 💊 Anti-angiogenic therapy is a novel approach to cancer treatment that differs from chemotherapy by selectively targeting the blood vessels that feed tumors.
• 🐕 This therapy has been successfully applied not only in humans but also in animals, extending survival and improving quality of life in pets with cancer.
• 🍅 Diet can play a significant role in preventing angiogenesis and, by extension, cancer, with certain foods and beverages containing natural inhibitors of angiogenesis.
• 📊 There is scientific evidence that certain dietary habits, such as consuming cooked tomatoes, can reduce the risk of developing cancer by inhibiting angiogenesis.
• 🍽️ The concept of dietary cancer prevention could have broad implications for public health, consumer education, and even the insurance industry, potentially making cancer prevention more accessible.

Q & A

What is angiogenesis and why is it significant in medical science?

Angiogenesis is the process by which the human body grows new blood vessels. It is significant in medical science because it plays a crucial role in wound healing, the menstrual cycle, and pregnancy. Moreover, it is a key factor in the progression of diseases such as cancer, where it can lead to the growth of tumors by providing them with oxygen and nutrients.

How does the body regulate the growth of blood vessels?

The body regulates the growth of blood vessels through a system of checks and balances involving stimulators and inhibitors of angiogenesis. When needed, stimulators like angiogenic factors are released to promote the growth of new blood vessels. Conversely, inhibitors are used to prune back excess vessels to maintain a baseline level.

What role does angiogenesis play in the development of cancer?

Angiogenesis is a hallmark of cancer. Tumors cannot grow larger than a certain size without a blood supply. Once angiogenesis occurs, it allows tumors to grow exponentially by providing them with the necessary oxygen and nutrients. It also enables cancer cells to spread to other parts of the body through the bloodstream as metastases.

How does anti-angiogenic therapy work in the treatment of cancer?

Anti-angiogenic therapy works by cutting off the blood supply to tumors. This treatment selectively targets the blood vessels that feed cancers, starving them of oxygen and nutrients. Since tumor blood vessels are abnormal and poorly constructed, they are highly vulnerable to treatments that target them.

What are some examples of anti-angiogenic drugs used in cancer treatment?

Examples of anti-angiogenic drugs mentioned include Avastin, which is FDA approved, and an experimental drug for glioblastoma. These drugs have shown to reduce blood flow to tumors, thereby inhibiting their growth.

Can anti-angiogenic therapy be applied to animals as well as humans?

Yes, anti-angiogenic therapy has been successfully applied to animals. The script mentions a 99-year-old boxer dog named Milo who was treated with a cocktail of anti-angiogenic drugs and a cream, which extended his survival time significantly.

What is the potential of using diet to prevent angiogenesis and thus cancer?

There is potential in using diet to prevent angiogenesis and cancer. The script discusses the presence of naturally occurring inhibitors of angiogenesis in many foods, which could boost the body's defense system against cancer by inhibiting the growth of blood vessels that feed tumors.

What are some foods that have been found to have anti-angiogenic properties?

Foods with anti-angiogenic properties mentioned in the script include red grapes (rich in Resveratrol), strawberries, soybeans, and various types of tea. These foods have been shown to inhibit angiogenesis in laboratory tests.

How does the concept of angiogenesis relate to obesity?

The concept of angiogenesis relates to obesity because fat tissue growth is highly dependent on blood vessel growth. The script suggests that inhibiting angiogenesis could potentially be used to control or reduce fat tissue by cutting off its blood supply.

What are the broader implications of understanding and controlling angiogenesis?

Understanding and controlling angiogenesis has broad implications for consumer education, food services, public health, and the insurance industry. It could lead to new preventative measures and treatments for diseases like cancer and obesity, and potentially influence dietary guidelines and health policies.