Cancer :: Chewing this gum could rid you of your cancer

A new study by researchers at the University of Helsinki, Finland, suggest that cysteine(amino acid) containing tablets and chewing gum can be a new way for the prevention of upper digestive tract cancers.

Previous research has shown that in developed countries up to 80 percent of the cancers of mouth, pharynx and oesophagus are caused by smoking and alcohol drinking, which can at least in part be explained by the fact that alcohol drinking and smoking expose the upper digestive tract to acetaldehyde, also called ethanol.

A group of researchers led by Mikko Salaspuro, University of Helsinki and Helsinki University Hospital, Finland proved that acetaldehyde exposure can be markedly prevented by a tablet that releases amino acid, l-cysteine, and that by putting cysteine in chewing gum would make it possible to eliminate acetaldehyde totally from the saliva during smoking, thus preventing alcohol and tobacco smoking associated oral cancers.

“We know that with this chewing gum it is possible to eliminate acetaldehyde totally from the saliva during smoking. We do hope that this will in the future turn out to be a novel method for the prevention of alcohol and tobacco smoking associated oral cancers. However, long term randomised controlled trials are naturally needed before the possible cancer preventive effects can be proved. We are currently planning that type of studies”, said Salaspuro.

The methods developed by the research groups of Salaspuro and Marvola have been patented world wide with the owner of the patents presently being Finnish company Biohit Oyj.

The first commercial product based on this patented method, the l-cysteine containing chewing gum, was launched on the market in the 11th International Congress of Oral Cancer on May 14-17, in Italy.

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