Anticancer Compounds Identified in Olive Oil

Researchers have identified anti-cancer compounds in extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) that may lead to a reduced risk of certain breast cancers.

Earlier studies have tested the effects of a Mediterranean diet rich in olive oil on various types of cancer, but the results have been conflicting. The authors of this latest study, published in the International Journal of Oncology, hypothesized that olive oil may only affect certain types of breast cancer cells.

Breast cancer patients can have tumors that are either HER2 (human epidermal growth factor receptor)-positive or negative. HER2-positive tumors generally grow and spread faster and require different treatment than HER2-negative tumors. An estimated 20-30 percent of breast cancer patients have HR2-positive tumors.

The researchers isolated several different compounds in EVOO and tested their effects on breast cancer cells. Extra virgin olive oil contains more active compounds than regular olive oil because it is made without heat or chemical treatments.

The researchers found that two compounds, secoiridoids and lignans, killed HER2-positive cells but did not significantly affect HER2-negative cells. In addition, breast cancer tumors in rats became less cancerous (malignant) in those that ate EVOO compared to control rats.

Although promising, the results of this study are preliminary, and it is unclear if EVOO could help treat or prevent breast cancer in humans. Additional research is warranted in this area.

For more information about the Mediterranean diet, please visit Natural Standard’s Health & Wellness database.

Comments

[Wendy]

There has been a lot of talk in previous years about the Mediterranean diet, which uses olive oil as a main component. Olive oil has also been associated with benefits such as lower blood pressure and a lower risk for heart disease. It may also benefit people with type 2 diabetes.

The question I have -- and I can't seem to find any research on -- is whether using extra virgin olive oil *cooking* has the same health benefits. From the above study, it appears that the unique feature of EVOO is that it is not processed as much as "regular" olive oil. Does anyone know anything about how cooking would effect the compounds, and thus the health benefit?

[talie]

I heard an interesting story on NPR yesterday that noted some olive oil companies are cheating and disguising products labeled as "extra virgin" olive oil that are really only partly olive oil, plus soy oil or other substitutes. As a result, Connecticut has enacted legislation on olive oil labeling, and California has it in the works. (The reporter commented that this can be dangerous to people with allergies, too.) Let's hope this gets straightened out so the good stuff in olive oil can do its good work, part of which, hopefully does involve preventing breast cancer.

[Laurie]

Very interesting. I wonder if this agent would complement, or compete with, trastuzumab (extracellular HER2 antibody) or lapatinib (intracellular HER2 antibody).

[Peter]

Good question, Laurie. As I recall, autophosphorylation sites are internal (i.e., each member of the dimer phosphorylates the other), so in that case, it may act similarly to lapatinib. It is unclear, however, how active these agents in EVOO are.

[LT]

Hmm. If olive oil has all of these great anticancer compounds because it is not heated during processing, I wonder what happens if you cook with it. Do you then lose all of active compounds?

[Organic diva]

I personally think that eating lots of fruits and veggies (especially brassica vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower) is the best way to prevent cancer. I really think that processed foods increase the risk of cancer. Not only do they contain all sorts of crazy chemicals and preservatives, but they are difficult for the body to break down.

[Marie]

What great exciting news! Olive oil has always been my number-one choice for cooking oil due to its taste and most importantly because of its chemical structure as being a “healthy” fat. This new study is promising, and I am looking forward to additional research exploring the use of olive oil in preventing breast cancer in human.

[rst]

I love that more and more evidence is showing that olive oil has health benefits. I'm a big proponent of the Mediterranean diet.

[Sherrie]

Wow, Talie, I had no idea that some companies were doing that! It's sad that some manufacturers try to profit on the fact that people are trying to choose healthier options by offering products that are not as healthy as they're advertised to be. I hope legislation is able to effectively regulate this.

[RZD]

Coming from the Middle East, I'm very familiar with the benefits of EVOO. I use olive oil in my cooking and as a condiment with bread and other dips popular in the Mediterranean diet. A family friend I know used to take a shot of EVOO every morning...he lived to be 109!

[R.F.]

Breast cancer affects so many women that it is great to have more information about delaying its process. Although the author states that the results are unclear, EVOO has shown to be beneficial in treating cardiac disease, which can lead to other complications (diabetes, high cholesterol). It certainly wouldn't hurt to keep using EVOO, and if it later on it shows to prevent or treat breast cancer, then it can be added to EVOO's other health benefits.

[Mady]

I heard someone say that the taste of olive oil makes it difficult to add in all foods. For example, I know that Indian foods do not usually contain olive oil, and if added, it can change the taste. Does anyone if there are any other oils to use that are healthy, but do not affect the taste of the food?

[MR]

I am a huge supporter of the Mediterranean diet, so I am very happy to hear about this finding. I have read that in addition to reducing the risk of heart disease, the presence of phenols, tocopherols and other natural antioxidants in olive oil also prevent the formation of free radicals (highly reactive molecules that may eventually contribute to cancer) that may cause cell destruction within the body. These may be very positive findings; however, more research needs to be done before conclusions can be drawn from this article. It would also be interesting to find out if cooking with olive oil alters its affects.

[Luce]

This great news! The identification of these compounds could be a starting point for the development of new anticancer agents or even preventive therapy for women at risk of breast cancer.

[VLN]

It's great to have more good news on EVOO. I've heard of it being good for the heart and cholesterol and now cancer. I personally love the taste of EVOO. I try to use it in all the cooking I do. It's great when something tastes good and is also good for you.

[Paulyn]

This is great news! The identifications of these compounds could be beneficial, not just to women at risk for breast cancer, but also for other types of cancer. Does anyone know if they looked into other cancer types or are still looking?

[Karen]

I'm a big supporter of the Middle Eastern diet, but I am biased because that's where I come from. But I love to hear that more benefits are being proven.

[Jim]

I guess olive oil just has to be used without heating it. So when cooking, just add olive oil as we would with salt and pepper at the table.

[Dennis McGee]

It is true that olive oil is often adulterated with less expensive oils. These include lower grades of olive oil and olive pomace oil. This is bothersome because it not only cheats the consumer of their money, but also of some of the heath benefits of extra virgin oil. Below is a link for detailed information about the adulteration, including a link to the draft of the 2008 proposed USDA standards for olive oil.

[Dennis McGee]

Below are links to research that verifies the benefits of olive oil. Research shows that after only two days of consuming about eight teaspoons of extra virgin olive oil, arteries were measurably more flexible. Olive oil restores damaged arteries and raises HDL (good cholesterol), which improves cardiovascular health. Heart disease is the biggest killer in the world and one-third of the risk factors for heart and vascular disease are related to the excessive consumption of unhealthy fats. Replacing these "bad fats" (trans and saturated fats) with olive oil can probably add years to your life.

[Betsy]

I think that what makes cancer such a scary thing is because we don't have a cure for it. By identifying substances such as EVOO that have a positive impact on cancer, maybe we can get closer to what will truly cure it.

[G. Chapman]

Through past research we know that foods used in the Mediterranean diet are beneficial to overall health. It is interesting to find how these foods actually work as a health benefit, rather than just saying that they reduce the risk of cancer.

[debbie]

The best point we have here is if extra virgin olive is better because it is not heated up, what happens if we use if for cooking? Either way though, this is great news. Anything that can help cancer patients is a benefit. So many women are afflicted by breast cancer, and it can be so debilitating for women who have to undergo surgery. I really hope this turns out to be a tangible therapy or maybe an adjunct.

[MHD]

Olive oil has been known to be a "healthy fat" for quite some time. With all the recent buzz about the Mediterranean diet, it is no surprise that people have taken a keen interest in the Mediterranean staple, olive oil. I think it should be emphasized to the general public though that olive oil is still oil. Even though it may present protective effects, it should not be ignored that too much of one thing is not good either. It has also been discovered that being overweight, obese or eating a high-fat diet without adequate nutrients can increase carcinoma risks.

[Samantha]

In response to Wendy’s comment above, EVOO is pressed, and the oil is extracted that way. So I agree with her question about the integrity of these two compounds, secoiridoids and lignans, after cooking with heat. Usually, people do not routinely cook with EVOO due to its lower boiling point; therefore, it burns faster. But if the benefits are so great, I wonder if it’s worth replacing other cooking oil with EVOO. Would the benefits be the same if EVOO was heated?

Also, would regular consumption of EVOO in diets work in the same as it would in rats? I mean, people use EVOO on salads and food. How much of these compounds would be absorbed this way? Can these compounds be concentrated into pill formulation?