Hot chilli pepper can prevent lung cancer metastasis

Pepper is a condiment widely used in Brazilian cuisine. Acarajé, moqueca, baião de dois and even coxinha can bring the seasoning in their preparation and the food, easily accessible, can bring several health benefits.

A study showed that the compound capsaicin, present in chili peppers, can help prevent the development of lung cancer .

The researchers looked at human cells with lung cancer and found that capsaicin prevented cells from moving to other tissues or organs.

The main difficulty in treating lung cancer is the great chance of metastasis, that is, when the disease spreads to other parts of the body (brain and bones, for example).

Read more: Breast cancer metastasis: the light may be to blame

Therefore, the discovery that pepper prevents the advance of cancer cells may help to develop other treatments preventing metastasis from occurring.

Even with this optimistic result, scholars recommend that more analysis be done before the pepper is used clinically.

The research was published in the medical journal Experimental Biology

Lung cancer

The National Cancer Institute (INCA) estimates that, in 2018, about 31 thousand cases of lung cancer were diagnosed in Brazil. Of this total, approximately 18 thousand were for men and 12 thousand for women.

The smoking is related to the disease in 90% of cases. Therefore, quitting smoking also helps to prevent this disease. Exposure to pollution or chemicals, lack of vitamin A and genetic factors also favor pathology.

Among the main symptoms of lung cancer are: cough , chest pain , shortness of breath, hoarseness, weight loss and pneumonia or bronchitis .

The diagnosis is made by means of X-ray and tomography exams . Cancer treatment is conducted by a team of specialists.

If in doubt or suspicion, consult a doctor.

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