Chemoprevention of breast cancer by Psidium guajava Linn.

Abstract

Breast cancer continues to be the most frequently occurring cancer in women around the world. For women, the three most commonly diagnosed cancers are breast, lung and bronchus, and colorectal. Representing one-half of all the cases; breast cancer alone is expected to account for 30% all new cancer diagnoses in women. An estimated 41,070 breast cancer deaths will occur in 2017 (Siegel et al., 2017). In India, it is the cancer of breast alone which is expected to cross the figure of 200000 by the year 2021 (Takiar et al., 2010). Based on the stage of diagnosis, breast cancer is treated with a multidisciplinary approach involving surgery, radiation and systemic therapy including chemotherapy or hormonal therapy (Harfindal and Helms, 2006). Surgery alone may increase the chances of relapse so combinations of chemotherapeutic agents are given. The side effects of chemotherapy depend on the individual, the drug used, the schedule and dose used. These side effects can include fatigue, risk of infection, nausea, vomiting, mouth sores, hair loss, anorexia, diarrhea and bone marrow suppression. Hormonal modifiers like Tamoxifen are given in estrogen

The Anticancer Potential of Psidium guajava (Guava) Extracts

“…Through the measurement of growth rate, feed consumption efficiency, tumor parameters (weight, number of tumors, volume, tumor incidence, and latency period), estrogen and progesterone expressions, and nucleic acid content of the rats, the pulp extract was found to be successful in suppressing carcinogen-induced tumor incidence and multiplicity. A significant decrease in the expression of estrogen and progesterone in the animals treated with both the pulp extract and tamoxifen was also observed compared to the control animals, which supports the inference about the anticancer potential of the extract against estrogen-receptor-positive breast cancers [ 44 ].…”

“…The extract’s antiproliferative activity against MDA-MB-231 and MDA-MB-453 is significantly weaker, suggesting that the extract is more effective against estrogen-positive breast cancer cells. In addition, the extract inhibited the cell migration and angiogenesis of MCF-7 cells and significantly increased the apoptotic rate of the cancer cells in vitro [ 44 ].…”