Naturally occurring compounds could fight ovarian cancer

A University of Canterbury (UC) research project, in collaboration with the University of Otago, Christchurch (formerly known as Christchurch School of Medicine), has shown some promising signs in the treatment of ovarian cancer.

According to UC student researcher Simon Hogg, ovarian cancer is a challenging disease to treat and is classed as the most lethal gynaecological cancer. Without effective methods for screening and early detection, patients are typically not diagnosed until the disease has spread beyond the ovary and can become resistant to anticancer drugs.

Hogg said there is a desperate need for a new anticancer drug to improve the survival of women with advanced disease - and his research has found that naturally occurring compounds could be employed to fight the cancer.

“We are beginning to realise the clinical potential of these compounds. My study adds to a growing body of knowledge identifying naturally occurring compounds in our diet which help fight against cancer,” said Hogg. “This is an exciting opportunity because compared to many synthetic drugs, naturally occurring compounds are cheap, non-toxic and easily accessible to the general public.

“Ongoing research at UC, in collaboration with Dr Kenny Chitcholtan from the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology at the Christchurch School of Medicine, aims to shed further light on compounds present in food and beverages that may be useful for entirely natural therapeutic interventions.

“Data I collected is consistent with the idea that lifestyle factors are associated with the rates of certain cancers, notably through dietary exposure. The identification of these compounds present in food and beverages that play antitumour roles against cancer is important for completing our understanding of the disease itself and guiding the design of new therapeutics.”

Hogg’s research, supervised by UC’s Dr Ashley Garrill, studied the antitumour effects in advanced ovarian cancer cells. Results from his study suggested further investigation was warranted.

“The compounds used in my research were all naturally occurring compounds produced by plants. The problem was that the compound (resveratrol) was quickly eliminated from the body before it could exert a beneficial effect.

“My results are significant as they suggest acetyl-resveratrol has similar antitumour activity to the parental compound, resveratrol. I believe that natural-occurring compounds are a feasible source of chemicals that can be employed to fight cancer,” Hogg said.