'Key to stopping spread of cancer' could be common mineral in nuts

The findings could be a breakthrough (Image: David Davies/PA)

A study on an essential mineral found in abundance in Brazil nuts could hold the key to halting the spread of triple-negative breast cancer, according to new research. The investigation, backed by Cancer Research UK, suggests that controlling the antioxidant effects of selenium, a common ingredient in multivitamin supplements and everyday foods like meat, mushrooms and cereals, could be crucial in managing this type of cancer.

Triple-negative breast cancer can be challenging to treat but is often manageable through therapy and surgery unless it metastasises to other body parts, rendering it inoperable. Selenium, a vital antioxidant, was previously thought to be beneficial in combating cancer cells.

However, the research discovered that cancer cells require selenium, particularly when the cells are sparse and away from densely packed cell clusters. Once clustered together, triple-negative breast cancer cells produce a fat molecule containing oleic acid (commonly found in olive oil), which shields them from a form of cell death known as ferroptosis triggered by selenium deprivation.

Research from the EMBO Molecular Medicine journal reveals that selenium, a vital nutrient, becomes a weakness for triple-negative breast cancer cells when they disperse and attempt to invade other body parts. The Glasgow-based Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute team found that targeting selenium metabolism in isolated cancer cells effectively destroys them, especially those aiming to metastasize to the lungs.

This pivotal finding ignites hope for new therapies to halt the progression of this aggressive cancer.

Dr Saverio Tardito from the esteemed Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute in Glasgow, who also contributes to the Centre for Cancer Research at the Medical University of Vienna, shared his insights: "We need selenium to survive, so, removing it from our diet is not an option, however, if we can find a treatment that interferes with the uptake of this mineral by triple-negative breast cancer cells, we could potentially prevent this cancer spreading to other parts of the body.

"It is not usually breast cancer itself that proves fatal as it can often be tackled successfully with treatment or surgery, it is when the cancer spreads that it proves harder to control. With triple-negative breast cancer having fewer treatments to control it, finding a new way to prevent it spreading could be life-saving."

In the UK, approximately 56,800 individuals are diagnosed with breast cancer annually, and it's estimated that 15% face a form of the disease known as triple-negative breast cancer. This aggressive variant can arise from mutations in the BRCA genes which elevate one's risk for various cancers, particularly breast cancer.

Dr Sam Godfrey, Cancer Research UK Science Engagement Lead, emphasised the gravity of the situation stating: "Outcomes for patients with triple negative breast cancer can be worse than for other types of cancer. Research like this could be the key to preventing this type of cancer spreading, and that would have a transformative effect on how this disease is treated."

Echoing his sentiments, Lisa Bancroft of Dunfermline, Fife, who was only 27 when she learned of her genetic predisposition, hailed the research efforts. Having undergone preventative surgery to remove both breasts, the now 32 year old remains cancer-free and expressed her optimism: "Research like this, which potentially gives people with triple-negative breast cancer more treatment options, offers so much hope. Medical science is making huge leaps forward. For me, the research that uncovered the potentially catastrophic implications of carrying a faulty BRCA gene all those years ago, has changed the course of my life."

Her decision was undoubtedly influenced by her family history of cancer, having lost both her father and her aunt to the illness, the latter to triple-negative breast cancer.

With her six-year-old daughter, who was two at the time of her surgery, Bancroft continues to think proactively about her child's future.

She expressed: "When she is old enough, my daughter Emma will also have to decide whether to go for genetic testing to find out if she is affected. Medical science is advancing so quickly, so my hope is that by the time this happens, it will be a completely different world."