A COMPOUND found in red wine could hold the key to preventing bowel cancer, scientists hope.
Resveratrol, an antioxidant in red grapes, is being assessed to see if it can slow the growth of tumour cells in the gut.
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Research suggests it can starve cancerous cells of energy and clear out damaged proteins.
Experts want to see if a concentrated version in a pill is effective.
A trial will recruit 1,300 people aged 50 to 73 who screening shows have bowel polyps, raising their risk of cancer.
Prof Karen Brown, trial chief from Leicester Uni, said: “The best way to prevent bowel cancer is to improve lifestyles but we can enhance efforts by finding drugs to stop it in its earliest stages.”
Cancer Research UK warned: “Drinking red wine does not prevent cancer and alcohol is a known cause of cancer.”
Dr Ajay Verma, medic at Kettering General Hospital and scientist on the study, said: “The holy grail of cancer care is cancer prevention.
“This study is an exciting new way to test prevention in a wide group of people for a cancer which claims thousands of lives every year.
“Resveratrol is now a viable candidate prevention drug.”
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