Surreal illustration of a Bactrian camel scientist with esophageal silhouette.

Camel Milk: The Unexpected Weapon Against Esophageal Cancer?

Lena Kashyap in Health & Wellness November 2025 • 4 min read.

"New research explores how a unique fraction of camel milk could revolutionize esophageal cancer 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 advancements in treatment, the overall five-year survival rate for patients remains discouragingly low, highlighting the urgent need for innovative therapeutic strategies.

In a groundbreaking study, researchers have turned to an unconventional source: camel milk. Specifically, they've investigated the potential of an active fraction extracted from Xinjiang Bactrian camel whey, dubbed TR35, to combat human esophageal cancer cells. This research explores TR35's effects both in laboratory settings (in vitro) and in living organisms (in vivo), offering new insights into its anti-cancer mechanisms.

The study, recently published in Clinical Nutrition, details how TR35 inhibits the proliferation of esophageal cancer cells and induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death. By employing transcriptomics and proteomics analyses, scientists have begun to unravel the molecular pathways through which TR35 exerts its beneficial effects, paving the way for potential therapeutic applications.

TR35: A Natural Anti-Cancer Agent?

Surreal illustration of a Bactrian camel scientist with esophageal silhouette.

The study's core findings revolve around TR35, an active fraction isolated from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk. This compound demonstrated a remarkable ability to inhibit the proliferation of Eca109 esophageal cancer cells and trigger apoptosis, a process crucial for eliminating cancerous cells. These effects were observed through various assays, including MTT assays, Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection, and caspase-3 activity measurements.

Further bolstering these findings, in vivo experiments showed that TR35 effectively suppressed the growth of xenografted tumors in nude mice without causing any significant loss in body weight. This is a critical observation, as many conventional cancer treatments are associated with debilitating side effects. The fact that TR35 exhibited anti-tumor activity without compromising the overall health of the mice underscores its potential as a therapeutic agent.

To understand how TR35 works, the researchers employed advanced analytical techniques:

RNA-Seq Analysis: This technique allowed them to identify genes that were differentially expressed in TR35-treated Eca109 cells compared to untreated cells.
2-DE Combined with Mass Spectrometry: This proteomic approach enabled the identification of proteins that showed altered expression levels in response to TR35 treatment.

These analyses revealed a total of 405 differentially expressed genes and 55 differentially expressed proteins in TR35-treated Eca109 cells, providing a comprehensive molecular snapshot of its effects.

These results might implicate that downregulation of specific proteins identified in this study may be the cause of this tumor growth inhibition. This study sheds light on the potential therapeutic advantages based on the historical anti-cancer activities of camel milk.

Future Implications

The findings from this study open up exciting avenues for further research and potential therapeutic development. While the results are promising, it's important to acknowledge that this is an early-stage study, and more research is needed to fully understand the mechanisms of action of TR35 and its potential for clinical application. Clinical trials will be necessary to confirm the safety and efficacy of TR35 in human patients with esophageal cancer. However, this study provides a compelling rationale for exploring camel milk as a source of novel anti-cancer agents.

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Everything You Need To Know

What is TR35, and how is it linked to combating esophageal cancer?

TR35 is an active fraction extracted from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk. Research indicates that TR35 has shown promise in fighting esophageal cancer cells. In laboratory studies (in vitro) and in living organisms (in vivo), TR35 inhibits the proliferation of esophageal cancer cells and induces apoptosis, or programmed cell death, demonstrating its potential as an anti-cancer agent. Further research is being done to understand the mechanisms of action of TR35 and its potential for clinical application.

How does TR35 work at a cellular level to fight esophageal cancer?

TR35 works by inhibiting the proliferation of Eca109 esophageal cancer cells and triggering apoptosis. Researchers used various assays, including MTT assays, Annexin V-FITC Apoptosis Detection, and caspase-3 activity measurements, to demonstrate these effects. Furthermore, advanced analytical techniques, such as RNA-Seq Analysis and 2-DE combined with Mass Spectrometry, were employed to identify differentially expressed genes and proteins in TR35-treated cells, providing a molecular snapshot of its effects and revealing the pathways through which TR35 exerts its beneficial effects.

What are the key findings from the study on TR35 and esophageal cancer, and what do they mean?

The study found that TR35, derived from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk, inhibits the proliferation of Eca109 esophageal cancer cells and induces apoptosis. In vivo experiments showed that TR35 suppressed the growth of xenografted tumors in nude mice without significant loss in body weight. This is crucial because it suggests that TR35 can fight cancer without causing the debilitating side effects often associated with conventional treatments. These findings highlight TR35's potential as a therapeutic agent.

What are the limitations of this research on TR35 and esophageal cancer, and what future steps are planned?

The study is an early-stage investigation. While the results are promising, more research is necessary to fully understand the mechanisms of action of TR35 and its potential for clinical application. Clinical trials will be necessary to confirm the safety and efficacy of TR35 in human patients with esophageal cancer. The findings open up exciting avenues for further research and potential therapeutic development, emphasizing the need for future studies to validate these initial observations.

What is the significance of using camel milk, specifically the TR35 fraction, in the treatment of esophageal cancer, and why is it considered innovative?

The use of camel milk, particularly the TR35 fraction, represents an innovative approach to treating esophageal cancer. Esophageal cancer has a low five-year survival rate. Traditional treatments often have significant side effects. TR35 offers a potential alternative derived from a natural source. TR35, extracted from Xinjiang Bactrian camel milk, has demonstrated the ability to inhibit the proliferation of cancer cells and induce apoptosis both in laboratory settings and in living organisms (in vivo). This novel approach challenges conventional treatments, presenting a new direction in cancer therapy by using a component with potential anti-cancer properties from an unexpected source.