Watercress: Effect of regular consumption during radiotherapy treatment for early stage breast cancer (PhD Studentship)

The project is based on a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, to be conducted in breast cancer patients referred to the Radiotherapy Department of the University Hospital of Santa Maria Lisbon. The major goal is to explore the potential effect of watercress in improving disease course and mitigating toxic effects associated with radiotherapy. The HDC funding is requested for work to be conducted by the University of Reading on blood and urine samples from the patients. These studies will assess whether watercress can mitigate DNA damage induced as a side effect of the radiation treatment, and also if watercress can alter overall metabolism in the patients towards a healthier rather than cancer phenotype. We will also be testing how the cooking of watercress by the patients impacts on the levels of the beneficial bioactive components of the plants.

Please note that the 2014 main report is restricted due to confidentiality – but is available on request to AHDB

The project is based on a prospective randomized controlled clinical trial, to be conducted in breast cancer patients referred to the Radiotherapy Department of the University Hospital of Santa Maria Lisbon. The major goal is to explore the potential effect of watercress in improving disease course and mitigating toxic effects associated with radiotherapy. The HDC funding is requested for work to be conducted by the University of Reading on blood and urine samples from the patients. These studies will assess whether watercress can mitigate DNA damage induced as a side effect of the radiation treatment, and also if watercress can alter overall metabolism in the patients towards a healthier rather than cancer phenotype. We will also be testing how the cooking of watercress by the patients impacts on the levels of the beneficial bioactive components of the plants.