Antioxidants can prevent us from killing cancer cells?

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fifthyear
fifthyear Member Posts: 225
edited June 2014 in Managing Side Effects of Breast Cancer and Its Treatment

Amazing claim by Nobel Prize winner, Dr James Watson.

This is the link to the article by Reuters. http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/01/09/us-usa-cancer-watson-idUSBRE90805N20130109  part of what he said: "The great hope of the modern targeted approach was that with DNA sequencing we would be able to find what specific genes, when mutated, caused each cancer," said molecular biologist Mark Ptashne of Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York. The next step was to design a drug to block the runaway proliferation the mutation caused.

But almost none of the resulting treatments cures cancer. "These new therapies work for just a few months," Watson told Reuters in a rare interview. "And we have nothing for major cancers such as the lung, colon and breast that have become metastatic."

The main reason drugs that target genetic glitches are not cures is that cancer cells have a work-around. If one biochemical pathway to growth and proliferation is blocked by a drug such as AstraZeneca's Iressa or Genentech's Tarceva for non-small-cell lung cancer, said cancer biologist Robert Weinberg of MIT, the cancer cells activate a different, equally effective pathway.

That is why Watson advocates a different approach: targeting features that all cancer cells, especially those in metastatic cancers, have in common.

One such commonality is oxygen radicals. Those forms of oxygen rip apart other components of cells, such as DNA. That is why antioxidants, which have become near-ubiquitous additives in grocery foods from snack bars to soda, are thought to be healthful: they mop up damaging oxygen radicals.

That simple picture becomes more complicated, however, once cancer is present. Radiation therapy and many chemotherapies kill cancer cells by generating oxygen radicals, which trigger cell suicide. If a cancer patient is binging on berries and other antioxidants, it can actually keep therapies from working, Watson proposed.

"Everyone thought antioxidants were great," he said. "But I'm saying they can prevent us from killing cancer cells."

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  • soriya123
    soriya123 Member Posts: 662
    edited September 2013

    Hmmm....I thought ontioxidant supposed to be good for cancer patients. NOW, I'm not sure what to eat or not eat anymore.....confused!!!

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  • SelenaWolf
    SelenaWolf Member Posts: 1,724
    edited September 2013

    Keep in mind that this is Dr. Watson's personal theory and, while it is a logical conclusion based on knowledge of how oxidants/antioxidants behave - unfortunately - Dr. Watson has not been able to provide causal proof, although some research has found "links" between megadosing on antioxidents during cancer treatment and a higher risk of recurrence.  Much more research needs to be done and, until that time, there are just too many unanswered questions.

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  • Jennie93
    Jennie93 Member Posts: 1,018
    edited September 2013

    I was told not to take any antioxidants, or load up on berries, etc. during chemo and rads, for just that reason. You don't want to protect the cells you are trying to kill. Wait until after treatment is over, then go for it.

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited September 2013

    I love my MO. She's a brilliant researcher, a dedicated physician, and the Chief of the Oncology Department.

    One of the first things she told me after surgery was to stop taking any antioxidant supplements, as there was good, recent, quantitative evidence that in addition to helping normal cells thrive, antioxidant supplements also helped cancer cells thrive.

    (I didn't have rads OR chemo, and this was still her advice.)

    She told me to get my nutrients from food sources.

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  • Obxflygirl1
    Obxflygirl1 Member Posts: 377
    edited September 2013

    Blessings20... Can you tell me what antioxidants your doctor was talking about? green tea? I'm a little confused as to what supplemental antioxidants are. Thanks!!

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  • Blessings2011
    Blessings2011 Member Posts: 4,276
    edited September 2013

    Hi, Obxflygirl1!

    My MO was talking about taking extra vitamin supplements that were anti-oxidants:  specifically Vitamins A, C, and E.  

    She did not include any natural foods that had antioxidant properties... in fact, I just made a pitcher of green iced tea!

    She also says that there is no credible evidence that tiny amounts of soy in foods (like waaaaay down the list of ingredients) causes problems with ER+ cancers. She just suggested that rather than drinking soy milk, I switch to LactAid, and to not eat things like edamame, or tofu, which are totally soy.

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  • proudtospin
    proudtospin Member Posts: 5,972
    edited September 2013

    my docs had also told me not to take antioxident suppliments but to focus on getting the anti in my food

    dumbo here asked what suppliments to avoid, she gave a long list but don't remember them as I wasn't taking anything on the list

    but do try to get it in food....love my blueberries!

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  • Widdershins3
    Widdershins3 Member Posts: 24
    edited October 2013


    Glad to find this thread. I take a lot of supplements and am going to take a list of them along on my next visit to my medical oncologist. I've taken a lot of antioxidant food supplements for the past 10 years or so--turmeric, astaxanthin, etc. and drink a lot of green tea. That's one reason why I was really shocked to be diagnosed with breast cancer. Well, that and the fact that it doesn't run in my family.


    I'll post any information my doctor gives me.

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