Steve Brine attends launch of 'exciting' new research which shows cancer fighting properties of local crop.
Winchester MP Steve Brine has welcomed the release of some new research which shows vitamin-rich Watercress has the potential to fight breast cancer. The small study was undertaken at Southampton University by Cancer Research UK’s Professor Graham Packham and was funded by The Watercress Alliance.
The clinical work was conducted among breast cancer survivors at the Winchester & Andover Breast Unit at the Royal Hants County Hospital. It involved them eating 80g (a 5-a-day portion) of fresh watercress, then giving a series of blood samples. Studies of changes in the blood cells of the participants, augmented by two years of laboratory investigations, has led to the exciting discovery that dietary intake of watercress may be sufficient to interfere with a known cancer promoting pathway.
Speaking at the press launch in central London (on Tuesday 14 September 2010) Steve Brine said; “This is a small study but it’s very exciting because in spite of all the progress we are still losing 12,000 women a year to this disease. We have to be super careful because we don’t want to give anyone false hope but I hope this research is a welcome step towards a body of evidence that can help us fight it. It is also exciting to have such ground-breaking work undertaken right here in Southern Hampshire.
“I also think it’s wholly positive to be considering diet and lifestyle alongside and as a complement to traditional methods of treating cancer.”
Pictured; Steve Brine (centre) with five Hampshire residents who participated in the clinical trials.
More information ...
Watch the report, featuring Steve Brine MP, as screened on Meridian TV (Tuesday 14 Sept 2010) here.
The Watercress Alliance - www.watercress.co.uk