Ched Rick Gatchalian

Filipino student-researchers attended the prestigious American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 on April 29, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Facebook/Quezon City Science High School


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Cassava leaves may help in fighting breast cancer - QC students' study

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1748055246336494814173_1151175717022036_1851428492996402394_n.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib" alt=" Filipino student-researchers attended the prestigious American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 on April 29, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. Facebook/Quezon City Science High School "/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left"> Filipino student-researchers attended the prestigious American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025 on April 29, 2025, in Chicago, Illinois, USA. <em>Facebook/Quezon City Science High School </em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA — A study led by student-researchers from Quezon City Science High School found that unearthed chemical compounds in cassava leaves have the potential to fight breast cancer.</p><p>Researchers said the common backyard root crop’s extract possessed compounds, such as Ephedradine A and (25R)-Spirostan-3 12-dione, that successfully eliminate cancer cells without damaging the healthy ones on a given concentrated cassava leaves extract.</p><p>“According to our results, it takes about 4.6 times of the solution before it starts affecting healthy cells,” Gabrielle Shinyo, one of the researchers, explained.</p><p>The extracted compounds were identified through MTT Assay by measuring absorbance on the cell and showed anticancer effect in the laboratory through in-vitro by combining the cassava leaves extract on MCF-7 breast cancer line.</p><div><a class="fr-green fr-strong" href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/news/technology/2025/4/13/ateneo-lab-develops-ai-dental-assistant-with-near-perfect-accuracy-0932">Ateneo lab develops AI dental assistant with ‘near-perfect’ accuracy<br/></a></div><p>Additionally, through in-silico test, these identified compounds have been found to be good at binding with the cancer cells and blocking the “on switch”, like Estrogen Receptor 5U2B, preventing the cancer from spreading and growing.</p><p>Cassava, or kamoteng kahoy, which the National Academy for Science and Technology regards as “the root crop of life”, is common in the Philippines, one factor that led researchers to choose it for the study. </p><p>The student scientists harvested the leaves from a local farm then dried, pulverized and macerated them into various solvents to study potential cancer-fighting properties.</p><p>“Breast cancer is the most prominent type of cancer in females and it&#x27;s a very pressing issue in society nowadays. And we also have some family friends and members who struggled with breast cancer as well. And we wanted to help them. So, that&#x27;s sort of what motivated us to continue our study,” Emmanuelle Reign Tica, one of the researchers, explained in an interview with ABS-CBN News Digital.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>International forum featuring Pinoy roots</strong></div><div><strong></strong></div><p>The American Association on Cancer Research invited the researchers to present their findings at a forum in Chicago, Illinois in April.</p><p>“Malaking privilege &#x27;yan and honor &#x27;no, kasi siyempre...Taiwan lang at Philippines lang &#x27;yung international during the AACR,” Genevieve Vasquez, research adviser, said during the interview. </p><p>[It’s a big privilege and honor...Taiwan and the Philippines were the only international teams there)</p><p>Vasquez added that it was an unexpected moment for them to be recognized by a globally-regarded forum.</p><div><br/></div><div><strong>An extensive sowing</strong></div><p>Despite this success, the research team said publishing the study had been a challenge.</p><p>They began their research in Grade 9, when the National Kidney and Transplant Institute approved the proposal and had problems with funding.</p><p>Researchers added that they overcome these struggles with the help of their parents.</p><p>“I&#x27;m not very much familiar with cancer cells kasi ano na &#x27;to eh sa hospitals na &#x27;to, talagang it&#x27;s, it&#x27;s too advanced, &#x27;no? Even, even at my level. So, what more sa mga students na &#x27;to?” Vasquez said, acknowledging the research had also been a challenge for her.</p><p>(I&#x27;m not very familiar with cancer cells, that&#x27;s for hospitals. It&#x27;s too advanced, even at my level. So what more for the students, right?)</p><p>She said that her best support to them as their adviser was guiding them through the research process.</p><p>Researchers said they hope the study will lead to the development of cheaper and more accessible cancer treatments.</p>

<p>A study led by student-researchers from Quezon Science High School found that unearthed chemical compounds in cassava leaves have the potential to fight breast cancer.</p>

A study led by student-researchers from Quezon Science High School found that unearthed chemical compounds in cassava leaves have the potential to fight breast cancer.

QC researchers study cassava leaves’ potential to fight cancer

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QC researchers study cassava leaves’ potential to fight cancer

ABS-CBN News Digital Intern,

Lawrence Coruno

Published May 24, 2025 12:31 PM PHT

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Updated May 25, 2025 09:54 PM PHT

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