May accelerate the deterioration of lung cancer, Swedish scientists have discovered: supplementing antioxidants such as vitamin C and E
Swedish scientists have found in a study conducted on mice that supplementing with antioxidants such as vitamin C and E may increase the formation of blood vessels in lung cancer tumors, leading to the deterioration and spread of lung cancer. The relevant research is published in the latest issue of the Journal of Clinical Research.
Martin Berger's team at the Karolinska Institute previously found that supplementing with antioxidants vitamin E and N-acetylcysteine can lead to the spread of lung cancer in mice. To better understand how this situation occurred, the team studied mice with lung cancer and mice implanted with human cancer cells. They added naturally occurring vitamin C from animals, as well as vitamin E and N-acetylcysteine obtained from diet, to the drinking water of mice.
Research has found that the higher the dose of antioxidants given to mice, the faster the formation of blood vessels within their tumors, both in mice with cancer and those implanted with human cancer cells.
The team also studied cancerous organoids in humans and mice. After exposing these organoids to high doses of three antioxidants, they found that these antioxidants neutralized the so-called oxygen free radicals in the organoids. In previous studies, the Borg team believed that after supplementing mice with vitamin E and N-acetylcysteine, the BACH1 protein promoted the growth of lung cancer tumors. The latest research shows that when the level of oxygen free radicals decreases, BACH1 is activated, inducing angiogenesis.
Researchers suggest that these findings may open up new avenues for treating certain cancers. Vascular growth inhibitors are widely used in cancer treatment, but they may cause serious side effects such as thrombosis. However, they may be more effective for individuals with higher levels of BACH1 within the tumor. Although the above experiments all involve lung cancer, they found that the above conditions are also suitable for kidney cancer and breast cancer.