Breast Cancer

Iron and aluminum toxicity in breast cancer

Cancers are dependent on Iron

Iron is needed for DNA replication in rapidly dividing cells.   Several studies, (but not all) have shown that free iron concentrations in ductal breast tissue has a major role in cancer development and progression to aggressive/deadly cancers.

Wu T et al. Serum iron, copper and zinc concentrations and the risk of cancer mortality in US adults. Ann Epidemiol 2004; 14: 195-201.

Cade J et al. Case-control study of breast cancer in southeast England: Nutritional factors. Epidemiol Community Health 1998; 52: 105-110.

Kalinowski DS, Richardson DR. The evolution of iron chelators for the treatment of iron overload disease and cancer. Pharmacol Rev 2005; 57: 547-583

The transferrin receptor is over-expressed on the surface of cancer cells.   Transferrin is a serum iron transport which delivers Fe (III) into cells. Since most cancer drugs target rapidly dividing cells, transferrin has even been considered as a delivery mechanism for cancer drugs.

Breast cancer nipple fluid found to have~2X aluminum and 5X ferritin levels than normal

Department of Biomolecular Sciences, Urbino Italy found that in addition to almost twice as much aluminum, that women with breast cancer had 5X higher levels of ferritin, an iron transport protein (also confirmed in other studies).

• Ductal nipple fluid.   Extracted via a breast pump in pre- and post-menopausal women is examined to measure levels of such as iron, ferritin (an iron-binding protein), CRP (a measure of breast inflammation) and aluminum.

Mannello F, et al. Analysis of aluminum content and iron homeostasis in nipple aspirate fluids from healthy women and breast cancer-affected patients. J Appl Toxicol 2011; Feb 21;

MMannello et al and Shpyleva SI et al. Role of ferritin alterations in human breast cancer cells. Breast Cancer Res Treat 2011; 126: 63-71

In previous studies, iron intake did not necessarily correlate with breast cancer risk, however, more critical was the release of iron from its protective proteins.     This explains why some studies found no link between iron intake in the diet and breast cancer incidence.

Lithgow D et al. C-reactive protein in nipple aspirate fluid: relation to women's health factors. Nurs Res 2006; 65: 418-425.

Kabat GC et al. Dietary iron and heme iron intake and risk of breast cancer: a prospective cohort study. Cancer Epidemiol Biomarkers Prev 2007; 16:1306-1308.

Free iron can be dangerous / Bound iron is relatively harmlesss

Free iron levels in breast ductal tissue can become dangerously high and over time induce malignant tumor formation.

90% of iron absorbed from your diet is normally bound to protective proteins, such as ferritin and transferrin.    Studies have shown that certain activities can cause too much of the iron to be released into surrounding tissues, and if this iron exists as free iron, it can trigger inflammation,lipid peroxidation, and free radical generation. Bound iron is relatively harmless.

What can cause iron to be displaced and released from these protective proteins as free iron ?

• Excessive alcohol intake.   Women who drink greater than 20 grams of alcohol a day significantly increase the free iron in their breast tissue and have a higher incidence of invasive breast cancer—the most deadly form.

Lee DH et al. Dietary iron intake and breast cancer: The Iowa Women's Health Study. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 2004; 45: A2319.

• Excessive estrogen.    Can displace iron from its protective proteins, thus increasing free iron levels and associated breast cancer risk. This helps explain the link between high estrogen levels and breast cancer.

Wyllie S, Liehr JG. Release of iron from ferritin storage by redox cycling of stilbene and steroid estrogen metabolites: a mechanism of induction of free radical damage by estrogen. Arch Biochem Biophys 1997; 346: 180-186

• Aluminum can displace iron from its protective proteins.     BTW, aluminum toxicity is strongly implicated in autism, ADHD and Alzheimer's.

Aluminum and alcohol can raise the level of harmful free iron (by displacing the iron from its protective proteins).

Lee DH et al. Dietary iron intake and breast cancer: The Iowa Women's Health Study. Proc Am Assoc Cancer Res 2004; 45: A2319.

Where is the aluminum coming from?

Vaccine adjuvants - Many inactivated vaccines contain aluminum salts to boost their immune reaction to the antigen (your body responds to the antigen by making antibodies against the injected virus, and boosting immune response allows vaccine manufacturer to use less of the expensive antigen)

Flarend et al. In vivo absorption of aluminum-containing vaccine adjuvants using Al-26. Vaccine 1997 15, 1314-1318.

• The anthrax vaccine, hepatitis vaccine and tetanus vaccine contain particularly high amounts of aluminum.   Many vaccines contain aluminum, including:

Hepatitis A and B

DtaP (diphtheria, tetanus, pertussis)

Hib vaccine

Pneumococcal vaccine

Gardasil (HPV vaccine)

• The FDA sets the guidelines for what and how much aluminum is allowed in vaccines.    The maximum amount of allowable elemental aluminum is 850 mcg per vaccine, although, oddly, there is no distinction made between a small infant or an adult. Dr. David Ayoub, a radiologist, physician, and specialist on the additives and preservatives used in vaccines, discovered that the FDA 850 mcg limitation is based on the effectiveness of the adjuvant role of aluminum and has nothing to do with limitations based on safety! The average aluminum content per vaccine ranges between 200 to 400 mcg. Some contain less. Many children end up receiving multiple vaccines at a time and children today are receiving 17 shots that contain aluminum, compared to four vaccines in the 1970s - mid-80s.
• By the age of 6, American children have been exposed to multiple injected doses of aluminum-containing vaccines - A recent study by Lucija Tomljenovik and Chris Shaw found that a newborn receives a dose of aluminum that exceeds FDA safety limits (5mg/kg/day) for injected aluminum by 20-fold, and at 6 months of age a dose that was 50-fold higher than FDA safety limits.

Tomljenovic L and Shaw C. 2011 in press.

Underarm antiperspirants?

Aluminum bake ware?

Treatment and prevention of aluminum  toxicity

Avoid/minimize exposures:

• Avoid cooking with aluminum utensils/pans
• Don't store food in contact with aluminum
• Use aluminum-free baking soda, deodorant, toothpaste
• Avoid aluminum-containing vaccines, or separate multiple aluminum- containing vaccines by 2-4 weeks
• Avoid drinks in aluminum pouches/cans - especially if they contain citrates/ascorbates which enhance aluminum absorption
• Take vitamin C and fruit juices on an empty stomach
• Minimize exposure to calcium carbonate-containing medicines -many are contaminated with aluminum

Other tactics to combat aluminum poisoning:

• Maintain normal serum Vitamin D levels
• Maintain MELATONIN levels.    This powerful antioxidant produced by the body at night in the dark, is particularly depleted by aluminum exposure;

MELATONIN - The Sleep Hormone

• Curcumin
• Include Foods / Supplement that drive the methylation process (methionine cycle).    i.e., B6, B12, folic acid, folinic acid, etc
• Cilantro.    Natural chelation
• Chelation

Oral calcium disodium EDTA.   Pulls lead and aluminum, but is also contaminated with aluminum, as are many calcium-containing products. Intravenous EDTA can be administered by healthcare professional.

Rectal-use Detoxamin.    Has low absorption of the aluminum contaminant, that requires iron-transport system found mostly in small bowel as opposed to the rectum.

Deferoxamine (DFO) is a potent chelator for iron and aluminum poisoning.    However, it has potential serious side effects and can only be administered by a physician.

Iron toxicity involved in other diseases

With the ability of aluminum to displace iron from its protective proteins.    We may not only see a dramatic increase in breast cancer, but also other iron-related diseases, such as liver degeneration, neurodegenerative disease, diabetes, heart failure and atherosclerosis. No one is addressing this very real danger.

References

NEW Studies Reveal Alarming Hidden Cause of Breast Cancer, Russell L. Blaylock, MD, CCN