A recent study showed that a cost-effective mix of two common dietary supplements helped combat the most dangerous types of brain cancer, without any reported side effects, though researchers emphasize that this approach is still experimental.
The experiment adopts a new concept for treating cancer based on healing tumors rather than destroying them.
Scientists at the Advanced Center for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC) in Mumbai, India, found that a combination of resveratrol and copper "significantly weakened" glioma tumors in a small group of patients, challenging the long-held belief that cancer must be attacked rather than treated.
According to "Fox News," scientists, led by Dr. Indraneel Mitra, conducted the study on 20 patients diagnosed with glioma who were already scheduled for brain surgery.
Researchers observed significant biological changes in the treated tumors, including nearly complete removal of DNA fragments that stimulate inflammation and a sharp decrease in several indices of tumor aggressiveness.
Promising results
Tumor growth activity decreased by about 33%, cancer biomarkers dropped by 57%, immune checkpoint signals fell by 41%, and indicators of cancer stem cells decreased by 56%, with no side effects reported.
Mitra said: "These findings suggest that a simple, inexpensive, and non-toxic dietary supplement may have the potential to treat glioma."
Human trial of the treatment
In the experiment, 10 patients received a tablet containing resveratrol and copper four times daily for approximately 12 days before undergoing the operation, while the other 10 did not receive any dietary supplements and served as the control group.
During surgery, doctors collected tumor tissue from all participants, allowing them to compare treated and untreated tumors.
The samples were analyzed to measure tumor growth, inflammation, immune activity, cancer stem cell markers, and the presence of cell-free chromatin fragments, DNA fragments released by dead cancer cells that can exacerbate tumor behavior.
Mitra explained: "We observed almost complete eradication of cell-free chromatin particles from the cancerous glioma tissue after treatment with resveratrol and copper."
Tumor treatment mechanism
He added: "This result was extremely significant as cell-free chromatin particles are major factors in tumor aggressiveness."
The research combined the two dietary supplements because copper allows resveratrol to generate a burst of reactive molecules that break down DNA residues known to cause inflammation in cancer cells.
Resveratrol – a polyphenol found in foods such as red grapes and berries - showed antioxidant effects in preliminary research, but its interaction was different when combined with copper, helping to dissolve harmful DNA fragments.
Mitra added: "We have been trying to kill cancer cells for 2500 years, since the age of ancient Greeks, without success." He continued: "Perhaps it's time to look at cancer treatment from a different perspective and work on healing tumors instead of exterminating them."
