Antitumor potential of extra virgin olive oil (EVOO)

The Antitumor Potential of Extra Virgin Olive Oil

A pioneering research project led by the Advanced Therapies Unit at Castellón Provincial Hospital is investigating the cancer-fighting properties of Sabor del Temps extra virgin olive oil (EVOO). This study builds on successful in vitro trials from the Universitat Jaume I and the University of Córdoba.

Evidence from Initial Studies

Preliminary research focused on HT-29 (colon adenocarcinoma) and MCF-7 (breast adenocarcinoma) cell lines. The findings were highly promising:

• High Potency: Olive extracts showed an IC50 value of 13 µg/mL, meaning a very small concentration was needed to inhibit cancer cell growth by half.
• Growth Inhibition: Specific EVOO doses reduced tumor growth by 30%.
• Selective Action: Crucially, these doses inhibited cancer cells without harming healthy cells.

Advancing Research with Organoids

Scientist Raquel Gil Edo is evolving this research by using organoids—three-dimensional cell models that replicate human tissue architecture more accurately than traditional 2D cultures.

The study’s methodology includes:

• Inflammation Monitoring: Evaluating how EVOO affects growth and inflammatory markers in breast cancer lines.
• Pancreatic Cancer Validation: Using organoids derived from PDAC (Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma) patients. Because pancreatic cancer is highly aggressive, testing on patient-derived cells provides a critical look at how natural therapies might perform in clinical settings.

A Path Toward Integrated Oncology

By combining natural products with personalized medicine, this interdisciplinary project aims to develop preventive therapies. These findings could potentially establish EVOO as a standardized complementary treatment to improve outcomes for cancer patients.