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Emory University have done it again... "Progesterone Inhibits Growth of Neuroblastoma Cancer Cells"

by Wray

Emory were the first to give us the extraordinary news that progesterone in amounts exceeding 1200mg/day, would help Traumatic Brain Injury.

During this research, they found that progesterone caused significant cell death in brain tumours. Following on from this discovery they tested the progesterone against neuroblastoma.

This brain tumour is the most common cancer amongst children under a year. Accounting for about 28% of all cancers diagnosed in European and U.S. infants.

The paper goes on to say....."High natural P4 levels during pregnancy are associated with a lower incidence of maternal breast cancer and also appear to exert a long-term protective effect against breast cancer. The antiproliferative and apoptotic effects of P4 have been reported for breast, endometrial, ovarian, colon and salivary gland tumors in vitro and in vivo. Taken together, these facts suggest ways in which natural P4 might function as a chemotherapeutic agent against neurogenic tumors such as neuroblastoma."

They further state that.... "Our findings can be taken to suggest some P4 specificity in inducing the death of tumor cells. Thus, the hormone apparently can differentiate between normal healthy cells and tumor cells and specifically induces cell death in neuroblastoma while remaining nontoxic or protective for normal cells...... We selected the high P4 doses on the basis of our in vitro data and our previous reports that P4 is neuroprotective at lower doses (8 and 16 mg/kg) against traumatic brain injury and stroke.

They also found low amounts of progesterone encouraged tumour growth.......
"In a comparative study, Wiehle et al. tested RU486, P4 and CDB-4124 (nor-progestin) against mammary tumors in vivo and observed that P4 treatment at 10 mg/kg for 28 days increased the size and number of tumors in female rats. We speculate that P4’s tumor-promoting effect in the Wiehle et al. study could be because of the lower dose used compared with the present study, demonstrating a hormetic effect of the hormone. In our study, tumor suppression required 5–10× the dose in the experiments performed by Wiehle et al., further suggesting that P4 has a bimodal effect."

This has been my argument all through the sixteen years I've been doing this work. Too low an amount of progesterone will stimulate oestrogen and cause all manner of adverse symptoms.

I often mention the MMPs, usually in reference to heavy, continual bleeding. Although they are necessary for tissue remodelling, in excess they cause a continual break down of tissue. They are also implicated in arthritis and cancer. Oestrogen stimulates their production, which would encourage any tumour to grow.

The study found a significant decrease in the expression of MMP-2 and MMP-9.

Too many women are told to stop progesterone by their doctors because it will cause cancer, cause clots, cause depression etc etc.

Another myth propagated by those in the medical profession who know nothing about progesterone, is it's pointless if a woman doesn't have a uterus. Nothing could be further from the truth. As the study says....
"Because P4 is a pleiotropic agent with a variety of molecular mechanisms, it is likely that multiple gene or receptor-specific mechanisms are involved in its antitumor action against neuroblastoma. In support of the notion that P4 is pleiotropic, a recent microarray study reported that high doses of P4 applied to endometrial tumor cells affected the expression of 247 genes, including many involved in the control of the cell cycle, proliferation, differentiation and the immune inflammatory response.....P4 has previously been reported to inhibit proliferation and induce apoptosis in a variety of tumor cell lines other than neuroblastoma....It appears that P4 has potent antiproliferative and proapoptotic effects in neuroblastoma.....We observed that P4 alone at a very low concentration (0.01 μmol/L) showed an increase in cell proliferation."

The study concludes......
"Although much more research is needed before going to clinical trial, we should consider whether P4 could be used alone or in conjunction with reduced levels of radiation, surgery or chemotherapy to improve patient survival and functional outcome."

I hope this study will reassure people of the safety of progesterone. The levels used, 50-100mg/kg, which is 2500mg to 5000mg/day for a person weighing 50kg (110lbs) are remarkably high.

No toxicity was observed at all. Only the tumour was affected, the healthy cells were untouched.


Emory University, Woodruff Health Sciences Jul. 13, 2011
Progesterone Inhibits Growth of Neuroblastoma Cancer Cells

MOL MED 17(9-10)1084-1094, SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2011
Progesterone Inhibits the Growth of Human Neuroblastoma: In Vitro and In Vivo Evidence

Comments for Emory University have done it again... "Progesterone Inhibits Growth of Neuroblastoma Cancer Cells"

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Dec 13, 2012
 Low dose
by: Penny

Hi Wray does this mean that people on lower dose are at risk of tumors or cancer?
I take a 1/4 teaspoon twice a day for the last 14 days of my cycle and this has been wonderful but is this too low?
Dec 17, 2012
 Low dose
by: Wray

Hi Penny No it doesn't mean they are at risk, unless they already have cancer. Then I would certainly advise a much higher amount. As with any oestrogen positive symptom, the idea is to suppress the excess with progesterone and keep it down. And of course take vitamin D, as that's been shown to reduce the risk. Glad the 80mg/day is helping you, I still find I need more! Take care Wray
Apr 05, 2013
 Appropriate dosage?
by: Margaret

Hello Wray,
Thank you for all the wonderful information on this website. Please could you give me some advice about the appropriate dosage of natural progesterone if you do already have breast cancer? I have early breast cancer and my doctor agreed to me using progesterone cream but he isn't very familiar with it. Another practitioner suggested a small amount, approx 1/8 teaspoon twice a day, but I felt I needed more and am currently using just over 1/2 teaspoon (3ml) twice per day of natpro,so about 200mg per day, to help with the migraines I was continuing to get (around the time of my period) that I have had for many years; I am 45.I started in January and the cream has helped so much already, I think I must have had a progesterone deficiency for most of my adult life as I feel so much better now than I have for years, even though I have the early breast cancer! My mood, energy, sense of well-being.. However, this article and your comments suggest I should use a much higher amount of progesterone. I currently have some breast tenderness, so perhaps some estrogen dominance, which could be a worry given my diagnosis. Up to about 1/4 teaspoon twice daily I didn't seem to have any estrogen dominance symptoms. I am happy to increase the progesterone to a much higher level (or should I reduce it back down to say 1/4 teaspoon twice daily?) but am wondering how much and how best to administer it, as 2000mg per day would be a whole tube of cream daily, which probably isn't practical? Is there another form of administering it at very high levels? You mention elsewhere that Dr Dalton used very high amounts with her patients and I am wondering what she used. Any information would be appreciated, or if you could point me in the direction of another specialist who could help. I have a friend who has just been diagnosed with a neuroblastoma form of cancer so it would be very relevant to her too. Many thanks indeed, Margaret
Apr 06, 2013
 Appropriate dosage?
by: Wray

Hi Margaret Bless you for the kind words. I'm delighted it's helped you, looking back I know I had a deficiency, and definitely excess oestrogen. I have my own views of course on the amount to use, but the studies on Cancer and progesterone don't give any. Apart from the Emory study. I've just looked through a few of them and although encouraging I found no amount. I only have the abstracts of course, but the full paper which one has to buy, would undoubtedly give it. It's amazing to hear your doctor approving your use of progesterone, would he perhaps be prepared to read the studies and possibly correspond with the authors to find out more? The studies on the cancer page do explain how progesterone helps. For instance it inhibits the production of aromatase. This enzyme converts testosterone into oestrogen, it does so in men too. Women make more testosterone each month than oestrogen, but luckily most of it is converted in us. But it appears testosterone is also implicated in cancer too, in fact it possibly has a more profound affect on us, see here, here, here and here. Progesterone also inhibits testosterone, as it increases levels of SHBG (sex hormone binding globulin), see here. If bound to SHBG testosterone becomes inactive. Progesterone inhibits inflammatory cytokines which are highly expressed in cancer. 2000mg/day would be a whole tube of cream, we have one woman using this much, she applies it hourly. Not for cancer but for her mood. We have a few using 1000mg/day too, see here and here. Dr Dalton would initially give an injection, apparently painful, followed by 6 x 400mg/day suppositories. This was for her patients with post natal psychosis. The injections are only 50mg, so not an option to my mind, which leaves the suppositories. We have more info on our Delivery systems page. What I find fascinating about neuroblastoma is it's incidence in children under 2 years old. Nearly half of all cases. This immediately makes me suspect lack of vitamin D in the child, which would also mean a lack while a foetus. Continued below
Apr 06, 2013
 Appropriate dosage? Part 2
by: Wray

Hi Margaret I would also suspect a low taurine level too. This is vital for the development of the foetus and while breast feeding. It's an essential amino acid in newborns, as they have the inability to convert it from cysteine. Unfortunately this is a little known fact. Taurine does have some influence on cancer, see here here, here and here. Although all the studies are on adults, levels should be checked for infants too. Neuroblastoma is one of the few tumours which spontaneously regress. I do have a page on alternate cancer therapies I've collected over the years. Only the ones which made sense to me, and not the way out claims on some substances or treatments. It's not on our website, but I'll paste a few relevant facts here.
The most important thing is make sure you have sufficient vitamin D. Low vitamin D levels encourage cancer cells to grow. It's the most anti-proliferating nutrient there is. I would get my level to 150ng/ml, it's currently 92ng/ml.
The second most important thing is to avoid sugar, all forms, including artificial sweeteners. Avoid all sweet, starchy carbohydrates, i.e. all grains, fruit and root vegetables. These convert to glucose, and cancer feeds off glucose.
Ketogenic diets have been found to reverse some cancers by starving the cancer cells of glucose, see here and here.
The third most important thing to avoid is excess adrenaline (epinephrine). Adrenaline keeps cancer cells alive, see here and here So avoid all caffeinated drinks and stress. Difficult to avoid stress, especially when told you have cancer, but it is possible to prevent a rise in adrenaline. Progesterone and the amino acids GABA, taurine and glycine play a vital role in this as they calm us. A sharp drop in blood sugar causes a concomitant rise in adrenaline, avoid eating any sugary things. A high fat (MCT oil), medium protein diet will stabilise blood sugar. Antioxidants are vital too, plenty of raw green juices will supply these. Continued below
Apr 06, 2013
 Appropriate dosage? Part 3
by: Wray

Hi Margaret The fourth most important thing is to consider using progesterone. It's neuroprotective, it prevents lipid peroxidation and confers vascular protection. As an anti-inflammatory agent, progesterone has been shown to reduce the response of natural killer cells as well as other known initiators of inflammation. Progesterone activates p53, the guardian of the genome. Both progesterone and vitamin D regulate gene expression, have a positive fundamental effect on cell differentiation and growth, with anti-oxidative and autoimmune anti-inflammatory mechanisms. Both positively effect the nervous system by stimulating neurotrophic factors, quenching oxidative hyperactivity and regulating autoimmune responses. I wouldn't hesitate to use 2000mg/day if I had active cancer, then reduce slowly once it had gone. Cost is always a factor of course. Upregulated dopaminergic activity is known to reduce the risk of cancer. One paper saying 'Evidence for the impact of upregulated dopamine on tumour prevention includes...the virtual suppression of all cancers during pregnancy (when dopamine synthesis increases)', see, here. Progesterone increases during pregnancy too, but progesterone also increases dopaminergic activity and neurons, see here.
Avoid all oestrogens, now found in our food, air, water and most of our skin care products. If possible eat only organic food and filtered water, see here and here.
The fifth most important thing is to check glutathione levels. A powerful antioxidant, a deficiency is found in cancer and many other diseases. Selenium, zinc and cysteine deficiency result in reduced levels of glutathione. Readily destroyed in the gut if taken orally, it’s best to take the precursor amino acids, N-acetyl cysteine (NAC), glutamine and glycine. The rate limiting factor in glutathione synthesis is cysteine, which is also a powerful antioxidant. A prominent doctor calls cysteine the best kept anti-cancer secret.
Another means of reducing stress and anxiety, or emotional issues, is EFT. Very easy to use, and remarkable in it's effectiveness, see here. Take care Wray
Apr 19, 2013
 Thanks!
by: Margaret

Hi Wray, I just wanted to say a big thank you for your very detailed and helpful reply. I've been looking into all the suggestions and will let you know how I get on. It's fantastic that you take so much trouble to answer all these queries on your website, thank you so much. Best wishes, Margaret
Apr 19, 2013
 Thanks!
by: Wray

Hi Margaret Bless you for the kind words! It's so essential for me to give a full answer, with studies too. People need to have all the facts before they can make an informed decision. Too many of us are left in the dark, too many feel so alone in their journey. Let me know how you get on. Take care Wray

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