Role of multi-component functional foods in the complex treatment of patients with advanced breast cancer

Cancer increases free radicals and that certain diets can influence oxidative stress. There is little evidence about the functional effect of multi-component functional foods on oxidative stress in breast cancer.

34 female patients with histologically confirmed breast cancer, stages IIIB and IV were enrolled in a randomised controlled trial. All patients filled out the Quality of Life questionnaire FACT-B version 4, translated in Romanian and validated, obtained from Evanston North-Western Health Care, Illinois, USA. Seventeen patients, mean age 57.84 +/- 11.2, were put on a special diet consisting of 15 ml/day balsamic vinegar from apples and honey, with seabuckthorn berry rich in carotenoids, rosemary, sage and basil extracts, to be used in salads and vegetable soups, 150 g/day whole wheat bread with 2.5% of the nutraceutic mixture VITAPAN, 15 ml/day grape seed extract rich in polyphenols (gr. 1). Seventeen patients served as control (gr. 2). Parameters of the metabolic syndrome were measured: serum lipids, IR-HOMA insulin resistance index. Oxidative stress was measured by the FORT (free oxygen radical) test. Total hydro- and liposoluble antioxidants (ACW, ACL) in serum were measured by chemo-luminometry. All investigations were done at entry and after 3 months.

Student's t test was applied to compare the means within group and between the 2 groups. The Physical well being subscale score of the QOL FACT-B version 4 questionnaire showed a significant difference between the 2 groups (p = 0.001). Also, functional well being subscale (p = 0.004), FACT-G (p = 0.003) and FACT-B (p = 0.002) showed significant differences on comparison. Breast Cancer Score (Additional Concerns) had a borderline significant difference (p = 0.057). Social/Family Well being subscale and Emotional well being subscale scores showed no significant difference. At inclusion, radical activity > 310 FORT units, relevant for increased oxidative stress were present in 95.1% cases. After 3 months radical activity > 310 FORT units were present in 52.8% cases in gr. 1.

A proper design of foods enriched with bioactive compounds that can lead to significant effects on health represents a promising adjuvant treatment in patients with advanced breast cancer, due to its contribution in lowering the high oxidative stress present in these patients.