Breast Milk May Kill Cancer Cells

We already know that women’s bodies can do some amazing things (duh!) but it turns out that breast milk is pretty powerful stuff.

New research has found that a compound found in breast milk, when purified and prepped as an injection, may kill tumorous cancer cells, according to researchers from Lund University in Sweden.

Patients with bladder cancer have been able to release dead tumour cells through their urine because of the cancer-fighting compound found in breast milk.

The cancer-fighting compound, nicknamed Hamlet, doesn’t seem to damage healthy cells in the body. This means that this cancer-busting substance won’t have the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy.

“There’s something magical about Hamlet’s ability to target tumour cells and kill them,” the study’s lead researcher, Catharina Svanborg, told the Daily Mail.

How can breast milk cure cancer?

Svanborg was working on a study for antibiotics when the remarkable benefits of Hamlet were discovered by chance.

Ultimately, breast milk is a good source of antimicrobial agents, which may stop the growth of microorganisms. So originally, Lund University’s researchers wanted to experiment how antimicrobial agents can kill bacteria. Human cancer cells were used as the bacteria component in the experiment because of its accessibility. It was then that researchers discovered how the Hamlet compound might work with cancer cells.

“To our amazement, when we added this compound of milk, the tumour cells died. It was a totally serendipitous discovery.”

It only took a few days for bladder cancer subjects to shed dead tumour cells in their urine after the treatment.

In addition to bladder cancer, researchers also suggest that Hamlet may be used for cervical and bowel cancer treatment.