SAN DIEGO, April 4, 2014 – Compounds derived from plant-based sources — including garlic, broccoli and medicine plants — confer protective effects against breast cancer, explain researchers at the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute (UPCI), partner with the UPMC CancerCenter.
In multiple presentations Sunday at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2014, UPCI scientists will update the cancer research community on their National Cancer Institute (NCI)-funded findings, including new discoveries about the mechanisms by which the plant-derived compounds work.
"In recent years, we've made some very encouraging discoveries indicating that certain plants contain cancer-fighting compounds," said Shivendra Singh, Ph.D., UPMC Chair in Cancer Prevention Research and professor in Pitt's Department of Pharmacology & Chemical Biology.
"By understanding the molecular mechanisms by which these plant-derived compounds work against breast cancer, we hope to find efficient ways to use them to prevent and fight cancer in patients."
At the AACR poster session "Mechanisms of Chemoprevention," Dr. Singh will oversee four presentations by Pitt pharmacology & chemical biology researchers on plant-derived compound discoveries in his laboratory.
This work was supported by NCI grants RO1 CA142604-04, P30 CA047904, RO1 CA113363-09 and RO1 CA129347-07.
About UPCI
As the only NCI-designated comprehensive cancer center in western Pennsylvania, UPCI is a recognized leader in providing innovative cancer prevention, detection, diagnosis, and treatment; bio-medical research; compassionate patient care and support; and community-based outreach services. Investigators at UPCI, a partner with UPMC CancerCenter, are world-renowned for their work in clinical and basic cancer research.
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