Gum fights tobacco/alcohol cancer
7/1/2006 Helsinki, Finland staff Health24.com A chewing gum with the amino acid cysteine aimed at reducing the risk of alcohol and tobacco smoking related cancers is expected to launch to market this year, following extensive research at the University of Helskinki. The gum, called XyliCyst, is to be introduced by Finnish company Biohit Oyj, which holds the patents to the preparations to use I-cysteine to eliminate the carcinogen acetaldehyde after drinking or smoking. It is not yet known which markets the gum will be launched in, but a spokesperson for the company said that the plan is for it to be available in mainstream shops, not just pharmacies – although this will depend on individual countries’ regulations. I-cysteine has been understood for many years to have the ability to bind to acetaldehyde, or ethanal, a toxic chemical compound that forms in saliva, especially with alcohol drinking and tobacco smoking. Increase in acetaldehyde According to Finnish researchers Professors Mikko Salaspuro and Martti Marvola, epidemiological statistics indicating that 80 percent of cancers of the mouth, pharynx and oesophagus are linked to smoking and drinking could be explained by increased exposure to acetaldehyde in the upper digestive tract. According to Cancer Research UK, oesophageal cancer is the ninth most common form of the disease in the UK, almost 7 500 new cases diagnosed every year. In 2002 there were 4 405 new cases of mouth cancer; 32 percent of mouth cancers are in the oral cavity, and 25 percent in the oropharynx, priform [...]