Spices in curry may help cure cancer
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The spices in curry may help to cure a cancer
The spices in curry may help to cure a cancer that affects 350 Irish people per year, new research shows.
The findings from researchers in University College Cork showed that molecules -- curcumin -- found in the curry spice turmeric, have been shown to kill oesophageal cancer cells in the laboratory.
The research, published in the 'British Journal of Cancer', may open the way for curcumin to be used in a potential drug to treat the cancer.
Less than 20pc of people survive oesophageal cancer beyond five years and it is the seventh most common cause of cancer death, accounting for around 4pc of all Irish cancer deaths.
According to Professor Gerald O'Sullivan, director of the Cork Cancer Research Centre, the research opens up the possibility that natural chemicals could be developed into new treatments.
"The incidence of oesophageal cancer has gone up by more than a half since the 1970s, particularly in the western world, so finding ways to both treat and prevent this disease is extremely important," he said.
