Brain tumors metastatic from breast cancer are dependent on an enzymatic pathway called the arachidonate lipoxygenase pathway. This pathway plays a part in brain tumor growth as well as inhibiting apoptosis. Apoptosis is a natural way for abnormal cells, such as cancer cells, to die a programmed cell death. Inhibiting this enzyme pathway is one way to treat brain cancer cells.

Boswellia serrata, an Ayurvedic herb from India, is a lipoxygenase (LOX) inhibitor. It is used to reduce swelling around brain tumors and gives improved response to radiation therapy and reduces some primary brain tumors without radiation. LOX has been found to be elevated in human brain tumors such as meningioma and glioblastoma and plays a role in prostate cancer, pancreatic cancer, and breast cancer.

This study used Boswellia to treat brain metastases in a 39-year-old woman who had responded well to initial therapy for stage one breast cancer. But, she developed brain metastases one year later and did not respond to chemotherapy and radiation. Metastases are the spread from primary tumors to distant parts of the body, with a brain scan showing several large brain tumors and many small ones.

Since the patient did not respond to chemotherapy and radiation, she was given a ten week treatment of Boswellia. The multiple brain metastases from breast cancer were reversed in this patient using Boswellia serrata. Computerized scan of the brain after therapy showed complete absence of brain tumors. She was maintained on Boswellia seratta 3x 800 mg./day for 4 years without further brain tumors. Later, she did develop bone metastases, which were not prevented by the Boswellia.

CONCLUSION: Boswellia serrata shows potential as a therapy for breast cancer patients with brain metastases. This was the first time Boswellia was used to treat breast cancer metastases in the brain. Other research has shown that there may be benefits in prostate, pancreatic, and breast cancer as well as primary brain tumors.

PMID: 17001517.

Summary #110.