Breast Cancer: Bee venom 'kills some breast cancer cells’

 

Australian scientists say laboratory experiments have shown that the venom found in bees helps kill some invasive breast cancer cells.

 

The poison, which is actually a compound called melatonin, has been used against a variety of cancers that are considered difficult to treat. These include Triple Negative and Her2-Enriched.

 

The discovery is being described as "interesting" but scientists warn that more experiments and research are needed. Remember that breast cancer is very common in women all over the world.

There are thousands of chemicals that can fight cancer in the laboratory, but scientists say very few of them can be used to treat humans.

 

The venom found in bees has previously been shown to have anti-cancer properties that could be used to treat other types of cancer, including melanoma.

 

The study, published by the Harry Perkins Institute of Medical Research in Western Australia, is published in the journal Nature Precision Oncology.

What did the researchers find out?

During the study, more than 300 honey bee venom samples were tested.

 

Planet Duffy, a 25-year-old PhD researcher who led the study, said the effects of bee venom were "extremely powerful."

 

As a result of the amount of poison, the cancer cells were killed within an hour and they did not cause much damage to other cells. However, increasing the amount also increased the effects.

Researchers also found that the melatonin compound also helps to "stop" the growth of cancer cells.

 

Melatonin is naturally found in bee venom, but it can also be made through chemical experimentation.

 

Triple negative cancer is generally considered to be the most common type of breast cancer and is treated with surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy. This type of breast cancer accounts for 10 to 15 percent of all cases.

Can it be used in the future?

On Wednesday, Rose Western Australia's chief scientist called the study "very interesting".

 

Professor Peter Clinkin said: "This study is a very important discovery of how melatonin enters breast cancer cells and disrupts their signaling system so that they do not grow further.

 

"It's a beautiful example of how we can find a cure for human diseases through compounds in nature."

 

However, researchers warn that more research is needed to see if the toxin can be used as a cancer-fighting drug.

 

Other cancer researchers agree.

 

"It's too early now," says Alex Swarbach, an associate professor at Sydney's Garon Institute of Medical Research. Multiple compounds can kill breast cancer cells in a single dish or in mice. But it will take time and more research to change clinical practice. "