Microscopic view of cancer cells neutralized by TR35 from camel milk

Camel Milk: The Unexpected Champion in Esophageal Cancer Research?

Soraya Malik monogram
Soraya Malik in Health & Wellness October 2026 • 4 min read.

"Scientists are exploring the potential of a unique compound found in camel milk to combat esophageal cancer, offering new hope for treatment."


Esophageal cancer remains a significant global health challenge, ranking as the eighth most common malignancy and the sixth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Despite advances in cancer treatment, the prognosis for esophageal cancer patients remains poor, highlighting the urgent need for novel therapeutic strategies.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers investigated the potential anti-cancer properties of camel milk, a traditional food in some regions believed to possess medicinal qualities. The study focuses on a specific active fraction extracted from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk, known as TR35, and its effects on esophageal carcinoma cells.

The research team conducted transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to understand the molecular mechanisms by which TR35 exerts its anti-cancer effects. This comprehensive approach allowed them to identify key genes and proteins involved in cancer cell growth, apoptosis, and other critical cellular processes.

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From Traditional Food to Experimental Therapy

Research on camel milk and esophageal cancer has focused on experimental models rather than established clinical treatment. A 2019 study investigated TR35, an active fraction from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk, using human esophageal carcinoma cells in vitro and in vivo. The study's focus on an extracted fraction means its findings should not be treated as evidence that whole camel milk is an accepted cancer therapy. A 2025 review likewise described camel milk's therapeutic potential as warranting further research and clinical application.

A Traditional Staple Enters Modern Research

Camel milk has a long history as a traditional food associated with nomadic and camel-keeping communities. One historical account reports that evidence of camel milk consumption dates back over 5,000 years and describes camels as a mobile food source for early nomadic pastoralists. More recent interest has reframed camel milk as a product with nutritional, cultural, and potential therapeutic significance. Within that transition, the identification of TR35 from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk marked a specific research focus in esophageal carcinoma studies.

How Does TR35 Fight Cancer Cells?

Microscopic view of cancer cells neutralized by TR35 from camel milk

The study's findings reveal that TR35 exhibits remarkable anti-cancer activity against esophageal carcinoma cells. In vitro experiments demonstrated that TR35 significantly inhibits the proliferation of Eca109 cells, a human esophageal cancer cell line. Further investigation revealed that TR35 induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in these cancer cells.

To validate these findings, the researchers conducted in vivo experiments using a mouse model. They found that TR35 effectively suppressed the growth of xenografted tumors in nude mice without causing any noticeable weight loss or adverse side effects. This suggests that TR35 may possess a selective toxicity towards cancer cells, sparing healthy tissues.

  • MTT Assay: TR35 treatment resulted in a concentration- and time-dependent suppression of cell growth and proliferation in Eca109 cells.
  • Cell Apoptosis Assay: TR35 led to a significant increase in the percentage of early or late apoptotic cells and a decrease in viable cells.
  • Nuclear Morphology Imaging: TR35 treatment caused nuclear fragmentation in Eco109 cells.
  • Caspase-3 Activity: TR35 significantly increased caspase-3 activity, a key enzyme involved in apoptosis, in a dose-dependent manner.
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Recent Evidence and Practical Barriers

A 2024 review examined camel milk's nutritional and therapeutic potential while emphasizing obstacles to wider adoption. It identified low yields, production challenges, logistical complexities, and limited consumer awareness as barriers affecting market growth. Separately, research on TR35 reported that the active fraction isolated from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk could significantly inhibit proliferation of Eca109 esophageal cancer cells and induce further antitumor effects. These findings remain based on in vitro and in vivo models, not established clinical treatment.

The Evidence Has Not Reached Clinical Practice

The cited PubMed record describes a study designed to investigate an active fraction from Xinjiang Bactrian camel whey in human cancer cells using in vitro and in vivo models of esophageal carcinoma. That design provides experimental evidence, but it does not establish effectiveness in patients or demonstrate that whole camel milk treats esophageal cancer. The source therefore supports caution about moving from laboratory findings to clinical claims. Larger clinical evidence is not supplied in the listed material.

Whole Milk Versus the TR35 Fraction

The available comparison centers on a defined experimental fraction rather than on camel milk as a uniform treatment. The reported study isolated a mixture fraction called TR35 from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk and evaluated it against Eca-109 esophageal cancer cells in vitro and in vivo. A separate account presents this active fraction as a promising new perspective on cancer treatment and prevention. Because the sources do not provide a direct comparison with standard cancer therapies, they cannot establish superiority over accepted treatments.

Transcriptomic and proteomic analyses provided deeper insights into the molecular mechanisms underlying TR35's anti-cancer activity. The researchers identified 405 differentially expressed genes and 55 differentially expressed proteins in TR35-treated Eca109 cells. KEGG pathway analysis revealed that these genes and proteins are involved in signaling pathways closely associated with cancer inhibition.

The Future of TR35 in Cancer Therapy

The findings of this study offer a compelling rationale for further exploration of TR35 as a potential therapeutic agent for esophageal cancer. While additional research is needed to fully elucidate its mechanisms of action and optimize its delivery, TR35 holds great promise as a novel approach to combatting this deadly disease. Further studies on the toxicological aspects of TR35 will be very important.

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Promising Signal, Preliminary Status

The cited Clinical Nutrition paper is specifically about the anti-cancer mechanisms of TR35, an active fraction from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk, in esophageal carcinoma cells. This focus makes TR35 a more precise subject of discussion than camel milk as a complete beverage. The study supports continued investigation of the fraction's biological effects, while the supplied material does not establish clinical efficacy or a replacement for standard care. The most defensible interpretation is that the work represents an experimental research signal rather than a confirmed cancer treatment.

Mapping the Next Research Questions

A 2024 review titled "Unleashing the potential: Camel Milk and Urine Research insights for performance, collaboration, structure and future trends (1947–2023)" maps research activity across the period from 1947 through 2023. Its emphasis on performance, collaboration, structure, and future trends points toward organizing the field and identifying areas for further investigation. For esophageal cancer research, the supplied source does not provide a specific clinical roadmap or confirmatory trial result. Future claims should therefore distinguish broad camel-milk research trends from evidence specifically involving TR35 or esophageal carcinoma.

What camel-milk cancer findings can and cannot show

Together, these results concern different cancer-cell settings and do not establish a single mechanism shared across them. The review material also describes limited molecular evidence for the traditional belief that camel-milk consumption reduces cancer incidence.[1] [2]

The reported TR35 work concerns an extracted fraction tested in esophageal-cancer models; it is distinct from findings about commercially available camel milk or other camel-milk constituents.[3] [4]

How related camel-milk findings differ

Camel whey protein hydrolysates are another distinct preparation: two peptide fractions inhibited colon-carcinoma cell growth, and peptide docking identified Polo like kinase 1 as a potential target. This is a proposed target from in vitro work, not evidence that the peptides work as a treatment in people.[5]

A review describes inhibitory effects of camel milk and its constituents across laboratory and animal cancer experiments, while noting that the responsible component in the colorectal-cell work was not identified. That broader pattern does not make results from whole milk, hydrolysates, and TR35 interchangeable.[2]

What remains unresolved about camel-milk fractions

  • The cited account describes cytotoxic effects but says the responsible component was not ascertained.[2]
  • The reported target comes from peptide docking alongside in vitro findings, so the evidence does not resolve whether that proposed mechanism applies beyond those experiments.[5]
  • The review states that camel milk should not replace standard therapies for human indications; the cited experimental findings do not establish clinical effectiveness.[2] [6]

Sources

  1. Anticancer Activity of Camel Milk via Induction of Autophagic Death in Human Colorectal and Breast Cancer Cells (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  2. Prospective Role of Bioactive Molecules and Exosomes in the Therapeutic Potential of Camel Milk against Human Diseases: An Updated Perspective (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  3. Transcriptomics and proteomics analyses of anti-cancer mechanisms of TR35-An active fraction from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk in esophageal carcinoma cell. (pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  4. Natural Products for Esophageal Cancer Therapy: From Traditional Medicine to Modern Drug Discovery (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  5. Camel whey protein hydrolysates induced G2/M cellcycle arrest in human colorectal carcinoma (pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov)
  6. The Therapeutic Effects of Camel Milk: A Systematic Review of Animal and Human Trials. (journals.sagepub.com)

About this Article -

Written with AI assistance from published research, and reviewed by the Mystum team. See our About page for more information.

Everything You Need To Know

1

What exactly is TR35, and why is it being researched in relation to esophageal cancer?

TR35 is a specific active fraction extracted from the milk of Xinjiang Bactrian camels. It's being investigated for its potential anti-cancer properties, particularly against esophageal carcinoma cells. Researchers are exploring how TR35 affects processes like cell growth and programmed cell death (apoptosis) to understand its anti-cancer mechanisms. Its significance lies in the possibility of providing a novel therapeutic approach for esophageal cancer, a disease with a poor prognosis.

2

How does TR35 actually work to fight cancer cells, according to the study?

Researchers found that TR35 can significantly inhibit the proliferation of esophageal cancer cells (specifically, the Eca109 cell line) in laboratory settings. Further, TR35 induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, in these cancer cells. In animal studies, TR35 effectively suppressed the growth of tumors without causing significant side effects, suggesting it may selectively target cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. This is important because current esophageal cancer treatments often have severe side effects and limited effectiveness.

3

What methods did the researchers use to understand how TR35 affects cancer cells?

The research used transcriptomic and proteomic analyses to study how TR35 affects cancer cells at the molecular level. These analyses helped identify specific genes and proteins that are influenced by TR35 treatment, revealing the signaling pathways involved in cancer inhibition. This approach allowed researchers to gain a deeper understanding of the mechanisms of action of TR35.

4

What is apoptosis, and why is it important in the context of TR35's effect on cancer?

Apoptosis is programmed cell death, a natural process where cells self-destruct. Cancer cells often avoid apoptosis, allowing them to grow uncontrollably. TR35 induces apoptosis in esophageal cancer cells, which means it triggers these cells to self-destruct. This is a crucial mechanism for fighting cancer, as it helps eliminate cancerous cells from the body. Caspase-3 activity, which increases with TR35 treatment, is a key indicator of apoptosis.

5

What are the next steps in researching TR35 for cancer therapy?

While these findings are promising, further research is needed to fully understand how TR35 works and to optimize its use as a cancer therapy. Studies are needed to assess its toxicological aspects and to determine the most effective ways to deliver TR35 to cancer cells. If successful, TR35 could potentially be developed into a new treatment option for esophageal cancer, offering hope for improved outcomes for patients with this challenging disease. Further clinical trials would be needed to assess the effectiveness in humans.

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