Cherry compounds may slow triple-negative breast cancer ^{CEFR B1}

Teams at Texas A&M University College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, Texas A&M AgriLife Research and the College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences (VMBS) report that anthocyanins from dark sweet cherries may slow triple-negative breast cancer in mice. The researchers measured both primary tumour growth and metastatic spread, because metastasis is the main cause of cancer deaths.

Mice were assigned to four groups: control; anthocyanins given before tumour implantation; doxorubicin chemotherapy given after tumours developed; and a combined anthocyanin-plus-chemotherapy group. Anthocyanins given before implantation slowed tumour growth without noticeable side effects, and those mice continued to gain weight. Mice given chemotherapy alone sometimes lost weight and showed slower tumour growth later in the study. The combination slowed tumour growth earlier and mice maintained weight.

At the molecular level, anthocyanins alone or with chemotherapy reduced activity of genes linked to cancer spread and therapy resistance. Treatments reduced spread to the lungs more than no treatment or chemotherapy alone and lowered the chance of spread to the liver, heart, kidneys and spleen, although tumour number and size varied between animals. Histology showed variable mitotic index, necrosis and immune cell infiltration, including T lymphocytes. The authors say more research is needed on safety, absorption and how anthocyanins might work with existing treatments.