Baker's yeast may help treat cancer

Washington, Feb 3 (ANI): A new study has shown that non-pathogenic baker's yeast might prove to be a promising, natural therapy for cancer.

Dr. Mamdooh Ghoneum at Charles Drew University of Medicine and Science has for more than two decades, pursued a theory that cancer cells self destruct when exposed to small quantities of yeast.

During the study, Ghoneum exposed cancer cells to yeast and observed as they ingested the yeast-through a process known as phagocytosis-and then the cancer cells died.

First, he investigated this phenomenon in test tubes (in vitro), introducing yeast to breast, tongue, colon, and skin cancers.

"I have no doubt that I am close to unlocking the mystery as to why cancer cells weaken to the point of destruction after eating common baker's yeast," said Ghoneum.

"The cells just gravitate to the yeast. I call it fatal attraction," Ghoneum added.

In later experiments, yeast was injected inside the tumours of mice and, again, he observed a decrease in the size of the tumor mass.

Then he examined whether yeast could kill cancer cells in mice that had cancer metastasized to the lung.

These tests also showed significant clearance of the cancer cells from the lung.

The findings were presented at a special conference on "Cell Death Mechanism". (ANI)