Zinc Supplements May Guard Against Oral Cancers

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> Zinc Supplements May Guard Against Oral Cancers

> Jan 12 2005

> WEDNESDAY, Jan. 12 (HealthDayNews) -- Zinc supplements may help

prevent oral and esophageal cancers in people at high risk for such cancers

due to zinc deficiency, says a study by researchers at Jefferson

University in Philadelphia.

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> They found that giving zinc orally to zinc-deficient rats reversed

the development of precancerous conditions in the esophagus and on the

tongue, and also reversed high expression of the enzyme cox-2. The study

results suggest that zinc supplements may help prevent oral and esophageal

cancers.

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> It was already known that a rise in the expression of cox-2 is

connected with oral and esophageal cancers, which are associated with a lack

of zinc in the diet. Zinc deficiency is especially prevalent in developing

countries.

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> It's estimated that up to 2 billion people in developing nations are

zinc-deficient, compared to up to 10 percent of Americans. Red meat and

seafood provide the majority of zinc in the diet.

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> " Zinc treatment restores many systems affected by the lack of zinc.

Zinc deficiency upregulates cox-2. Zinc replenishment restores it to near

normal levels, " study author Louise Fong, an assistant professor of

microbiology and immunology, said in a prepared statement.

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> The study is published in the current issue of the Journal of the

National Cancer Institute.

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> More information

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> The U.S. National Library of Medicine has more about the importance

of dietary zinc.

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http://health.discovery.com/news/healthscout/article.jsp?aid=523339 & tid=5

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