Dark sweet cherries are a popular fruit used in many foods, from pies and cobblers to juices and smoothies.
Besides their sweet flavor, cherries are also rich in natural plant chemicals that give them their deep red color.
Scientists are now studying these compounds to see whether they may also provide health benefits.
A new study from researchers at Texas A&M University suggests that some of the natural chemicals found in cherries may help slow the growth and spread of a particularly aggressive type of breast cancer.
The findings come from laboratory experiments and were published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences.
The researchers focused on compounds called anthocyanins.
These natural pigments are responsible for the deep red, purple, and blue colors seen in many fruits and vegetables, including cherries, blueberries, and blackberries.
Anthocyanins are known for their antioxidant properties, meaning they can help protect cells from damage caused by harmful molecules in the body.
In this study, scientists explored whether anthocyanins from dark sweet cherries could affect the development of triple-negative breast cancer. This form of breast cancer is one of the most difficult types to treat.
It is called “triple-negative” because the cancer cells do not contain three common receptors that are often targeted by breast cancer treatments: estrogen receptors, progesterone receptors, and the HER2 protein.
Because these receptors are missing, many common treatments that work for other breast cancers are not effective against triple-negative breast cancer. As a result, the disease tends to grow faster and spread more aggressively to other parts of the body. It is also more likely to spread to organs such as the lungs or the brain.
The research team, led by food science researcher Giuliana Noratto, carried out experiments using mice to understand how cherry compounds might affect this type of cancer.
Instead of looking only at tumor size, the scientists also studied whether the cancer spread to other organs in the body. This is important because the spread of cancer, known as metastasis, is the main reason the disease becomes life-threatening.
In the experiment, the mice were divided into four different groups. One group received cherry anthocyanins before cancer tumors were introduced.
Another group was treated with a common chemotherapy drug called doxorubicin after tumors had already developed. A third group received both the cherry compounds and chemotherapy. The final group served as a control group and did not receive these treatments.
The results showed that mice that received cherry anthocyanins before tumors developed experienced slower tumor growth. The animals also did not show clear side effects from the cherry compounds. In fact, these mice continued to gain weight normally throughout the study, which is generally a sign of good overall health.
Mice treated only with chemotherapy sometimes experienced weight loss, which can happen with many cancer treatments. Tumor growth also slowed, but the effect appeared later during the experiment.
Interestingly, when the cherry compounds were combined with chemotherapy, tumor growth slowed earlier and the mice maintained healthier body weight compared with those receiving chemotherapy alone.
The researchers also examined what was happening inside the cancer cells. By studying gene activity, they discovered that the cherry compounds appeared to reduce the activity of certain genes associated with cancer spread and resistance to treatment. These genes are often involved in helping tumors survive and spread throughout the body.
In addition, the cherry compounds seemed to reduce the likelihood that cancer would spread to organs such as the liver, heart, kidneys, and spleen. However, the number and size of tumors still varied among the animals.
To better understand the biological effects, veterinary pathologist Dr. Lauren Stranahan studied tumor tissue under a microscope. She examined how quickly the cancer cells were dividing and whether they had spread into nearby organs.
Some tumors showed a higher rate of cell division, meaning the cancer was growing faster. The researchers also looked at immune cells called T lymphocytes. These cells play an important role in helping the immune system identify and attack abnormal cells, including cancer cells.
Scientists are interested in whether aggressive tumors can reduce the number of T-cells that attack them. If cancer can weaken this immune response, it may be able to grow and spread more easily.
Although the results of the study are encouraging, the researchers emphasize that cherry compounds should not be seen as a cure for cancer. Instead, they may eventually become part of a larger treatment strategy. Modern cancer care often requires a combination of different therapies working together.
The scientists believe that natural compounds found in foods such as cherries might influence biological pathways that current drugs do not target. However, much more research is needed before these findings could apply to people.
Studies in animals do not always produce the same results in humans. Researchers still need to understand how the body absorbs cherry anthocyanins and how these compounds might interact with existing cancer treatments.
Future studies will explore whether these natural compounds could safely support traditional cancer therapies and help slow the spread of aggressive cancers.
If you care about nutrition, please read studies about the harm of vitamin D deficiency, and Mediterranean diet may preserve brain volume in older adults.
For more health information, please see recent studies about foods to naturally lower high blood pressure, and a simple breakfast switch can help control type 2 diabetes.
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