Beware that there is research to show even a tiny amount of curcumin, the stuff in turmeric that makes it yellow, can switch off some of the tumour attacking properties of Cyclophosphamide. This research was published in 2003 and is cited in advice to medical professionals by the Kettering Sloan Cancer Centre (a very prestigious cancer treatment centre in USA which, where proven advocates phytonutrients and herbals as complementary treatments). There is an abstract of the relevant research article here: ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?db=PubMed&cmd=Retrieve&list_uids=12097302&dopt=Citation
I was treated with CEF 4 years ago and wish I’d had this info which was barely published by then.
So if you are getting cyclophosphamide in your chemo protocol, postpone your next curry or picalilli or other turmeric hit until a few weeks after your last treatment.
On the contrary, the toxiticy of adriamycin (doxorubicin) to kidneys, heart and other organs is reduced by turmeric. So if you are getting this chemo, speak to your onc. about taking extra turmeric in your diet.
Once treatment is over, add liberal quantities of turmeric to your diet - it disrupts the breast cancer cell proliferation cycle when not mixed with these powerful drugs.
There are references to its action on the Sloan Kettering website.
Wishing you well, and may all your tumour cells be dead ones!!!
I am a big believer in changing what I ingest to help fight this disease, and i always enjoy reading what you have to say, especially on the jane plant controversy threads.
I think our oncologists need to learn more about what we are doing to contradict our treatment once we get home.
I read somewhere (on here) that milk thistle should not be taken with chemo therapy as it has contra-indications to the effects of our drugs, and yet I bet there are lots of people taking it.
If there are any facts like this that you know, write them up here. Even if you have written them before, because as time passes new people join these forums and miss out on things written up before.
hi
so glad i read this post as i’ve just been prescribed tumeric by a herbalist! i am currently on FEC (the C there is cyclophosphamide isn’t it?) and will postpone taking it. jenny, do you know if there seems to be any contraindication to taxotare - that is what is coming next for me…
jo
x
Lynne
I wouldn’t worry about this - I think the advice is not to consume large amounts. I’m pretty sure a curry once in a while wouldn’t be a problem - I hope not because I’ve eaten a few as well!
Jo
x