CHICAGO, Jan. 10 (UPI) -- U.S. scientists said laboratory experiments show an olive oil component suppresses a gene that can trigger breast cancer.
The finding helps explain why the Mediterranean diet, which is rich in olive oil, has been shown to have protective effects against cancer, Northwestern University researchers report in Annals of Oncology.
In a series of laboratory experiments, the researchers found that oleic acid -- a type of fat found in olive oil -- significantly reduced levels of a gene called Her-2/neu. High levels of this gene occur in more than 20 percent of breast cancer patients.
Further tests showed oleic acid also made the breast cancer treatment Herceptin more effective by increasing the expression of a protein that may help prevent the development of resistance to the therapy.
The researchers now are interested in conducting a study in animals to determine whether a diet high in olive oil will reduce Her-2/neu levels in human breast tumors. They also plan to investigate how diets high in oleic acid might affect the efficacy of Herceptin.
