Sorry I can't remember who wanted information on human milk and cancer for an
article they were doing.  There are a great number of patents dealing with
human milk components for detection and treatment of various cancers.

If one were doing an article I would suggest reviewing the work of Catharine
Svanborg who is an immunologist and physician at Lund University in Sweden.She
observed the process called apoptosis (way in which body rids itself of old
cells).  She saw this process occur when human milk and cancer cells were mixed
together.  The cancer cells died.  The protein that is believed to be
responsible for this process is alpha-lactalbumin.  I do believe she has a patent at
the US patent office but at the moment cannot confirm that belief.

There are other researchers working along similiar lines.  For example, Human
Milk Fat Globule (HMFG-1) binds to most ovarian cancer cells according to
some researchers.  Thus, it is used to target cancer cells and deliver
radioactive  material to kill the cancer.  This research is being done at the Mayo
Clinic in Jacksonville, Florida.

Of interest is an article by Breast Cancer Action newsletter announcing new
research linking breast milk to cancer cell death.  The slant on this
information is rather interesting.  The first sentence, "Despite evidence of widespread
pesticide contamination in breast milk...."  and it ends with "Approximations
of mothers' milk and its components, such as infant formula and genetically
engineered HAMLET (an acronum for human alpha-lactalbumin made lethal to
tumors) serve significant and potentially wonderful functions, but we also need to
keep our attention on the fundamental work that preserves a nourishing and
healthy environment for human beings."

If you read the whole article it really is slamming breastfeeding--discusses
the "purity" of infant formula.  So despite the fact that human milk
components will kill cancer cells, this article in a subtle manner supports the use of
infant formula.  They state in this article that "Rogan, a researcher for the
National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences points out that breast
milk does not meet the Food and Drug Administration's standards of purity
required of infant formula." To see the article:

http://www.bcaction.org/Pages/SearchablePages/2000/Newsletters/Newsletters058J
.html

Thus what we have is an amazing property in human milk being readily
dismissed because of environmental issues.  It's an amazing society that views infant
formula as the pure substance and human milk as a toxic waste dump that oh by
the way kills cancer cells....rather amusing if it wasn't so positively
dreadful.  Is that because we can patent the elements and sell it to the consumer?
Great business strategy.  HIV and the patents is the same story.  We have
patents on human milk components to test, treat, and inactivate hiv/aids but by
golly don't let any hiv positive mother breastfeed her infant because her milk
is "infectious."  Exactly what are researchers seeing when they look at human
milk under a microscope?  Just because a pathogen or toxin is seen in human
milk does not mean that pathogen or that toxin is capable of causing damage.
Human milk is a dynamic, living fluid.  For example, one takes a snapshot of
people working--stopped in motion.  Does that show the work that they do?
Likewise human milk under a microscope is just a snapped picture.  It does not show
you what exactly will happen when components meet with that pathogen or toxin.
We seem to be riding a train of madness in regard to human milk and
breastfeeding.  This kind of testing creates a new reality of fear based on what?  Our
bodies and our fluids reflect the environment we live in--it will have
pathogens and toxins in it.  Yet most of us stay healthy. This fear campaign makes a
heck of alot of money.  Kinda like someone telling ya that you live on a toxic
waste dump and they will pay ya $10 for your property.  So ya sell your
property at an enormous loss because who wants to live on a toxic waste dump?  Then
once sold ya find out that your property really had a gold mine on it and
that the new owner was telling ya the "big lie" in order to get your property.  I
think its time breastfeeding advocates woke up and smelled the
coffee.......(Nestle?)
Valerie W. McClain, IBCLC




             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html