Walnut Consumption Leads to Favorable Alterations in Tumor Gene Expression in Women with Breast Cancer
In this small trial, postmenopausal women with biopsy-confirmed breast cancers (most participants had IDC, with either + or – hormone receptor and Her2 status) were randomized to either a control group (following their usual diet, N=5), or the walnut group (usual diet with addition of 2oz walnuts daily, N=5) while awaiting surgery (which was performed 2 to 3 weeks later). Tumor gene expression from the biopsy was compared to that from the surgical sample.
The expression of 456 identified genes was significantly altered in the tumors of women who consumed walnuts compared to controls. This included favorable alterations in the expression of PI3K/Akt, the estrogen receptor, p38/ERK ratio, bradykinin receptor B1 (BDKRB1), JNK mRNA, caspase, and VEGF.
No information on the usual diet followed by participants was provided, and the authors admit that “consumption of a different background diet might result is a different degree of benefit” with walnut consumption. Nonetheless, this is an easy intervention with intriguing results.
Citation:
Hardman WE, Primerano DA, Legenza MT, Morgan J, Fan J, Denvir J. Dietary walnut altered gene expressions related to tumor growth, survival, and metastasis in breast cancer patients: a pilot clinical trial. Nutr Res. 2019; 66:82-94.
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