Black Cohosh for Breast Cancer Waterford MI
Oncology (Cancer), Radiation Oncology
Gender
Male
Education
Medical School: Des Moines Univ, Coll Osteo Med & Surg, Des Moines Ia 50312
Graduation Year: 1970
Radiation Oncology
Oncology (Cancer)
Gender
Male
Education
Graduation Year: 2007
Oncology (Cancer), Radiation Oncology
Gender
Male
Education
Medical School: Univ Of Mi Med Sch, Ann Arbor Mi 48109
Graduation Year: 1991
Hospital
Hospital: Crittenton Hosp, Rochester Hls, Mi; Detroit Receiving Hosp & Univ, Detroit, Mi; St John MacOmb Hospital, Warren, Mi
Oncology (Cancer), Radiation Oncology, Internal Medicine
Gender
Male
Education
Medical School: Univ Of Mi Med Sch, Ann Arbor Mi 48109
Graduation Year: 1984
Hospital
Hospital: North Oakland Med Ctr, Pontiac, Mi; Harper Hospital, Detroit, Mi; Huron Valley -Sinai Hospital, Commerce Twp, Mi
Hematology / Oncology, Medical Oncology
Oncology (Cancer)
Gender
Male
Education
Graduation Year: 2007
Auburn Hills, MI
Oncology (Cancer), Radiation Oncology
Gender
Male
Languages
Russian
Education
Medical School: Oh State Univ Coll Of Med, Columbus Oh 43210
Graduation Year: 1982
Hospital
Hospital: Botsford General Osteopathic, Farmingtn Hls, Mi; St Joseph Mercy Hosp, Pontiac, Mi
Oncology (Cancer), Gynecological Oncology
Gender
Male
Education
Medical School: Univ Of Al Sch Of Med, Birmingham Al 35294
Graduation Year: 1986
Internal Medicine, Hematology / Oncology
Black Cohosh for Breast Cancer
Provided by: 
Since 2003, when evidence that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) might increase risk of cancer and cardiovascular disease in postmenopausal women, the herb black cohosh (Cimicifuga racemosa) has gained in popularity.
Many women with breast cancer take black cohosh during radiation or chemotherapy because of menopausal symptoms brought on by the treatments—yet few discuss their use of complementary methods with their physicians. Because of this trend, a group of Yale University researchers is investigating whether the herbal medicine alters the cancer cell-killing action of medical treatments.
Their study, done in vitro using breast cancer cells from mice, tested the effects of three brands of black cohosh on five common anti-cancer agents. Their results show the herb had no effect on radiation or the drug 4-HC and that it actually increased the toxicity (effectiveness) of two cancer drugs (doxorubicin and docetaxel) on breast cancer cells. However, black cohosh decreased the effectiveness of the cisplatin drug.
“[In vitro] studies are interesting, but their clinical relevance to human experience is ambiguous at best,” says Mark Blumenthal, executive director of the American Botanical Council in Austin, Texas. The Yale researchers agree that in vivo studies, or studies using live animals instead of petri dishes, are necessary, and they’re continuing work with live mice. In the meantime, they say black cohosh is potentially consequential to the outcome of conventional cancer therapy, and they state that breast cancer patients should be discouraged from taking the herb until its effects are better defined.
This study may be preliminary, but it points out the need to inform your doctor if you are considering or currently using black cohosh during cancer treatment.
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