We often hear that antioxidants like vitamin C are good for our health. Many people take them as supplements, believing they fight diseases like cancer.
But a new study from Karolinska Institutet in Sweden shows that these antioxidants might actually help lung cancer tumors grow and spread.
“The belief has always been that antioxidants protect against cancer, but our study reveals the opposite,” says Martin Bergö, the professor who led the study.
“These substances trigger a process that creates new blood vessels for the tumor, helping it grow and spread.”
How Antioxidants Fuel Tumor Growth
Antioxidants work by neutralizing harmful molecules in the body, called free radicals. But it turns out, these antioxidants can also activate a protein called BACH1.
When BACH1 is active, it promotes the creation of new blood vessels in tumors—a process called angiogenesis. These new vessels supply the tumor with nutrients, helping it grow faster and spread to other parts of the body.
“In simple terms, more antioxidants mean more fuel for the tumor,” says Bergö.
“So, while you shouldn’t worry about the antioxidants in your food, taking extra doses in the form of supplements could be risky, especially for those with an increased risk of cancer.”
What This Means for Cancer Treatment
The discovery has big implications for cancer treatments that aim to stop new blood vessel formation in tumors.
These treatments haven’t been as effective as doctors hoped. The new research suggests this could be because they need to target specific proteins like BACH1.
“If a tumor has high levels of BACH1, then treatments that stop new blood vessels from forming might be more effective,” says Ting Wang, a researcher in Bergö’s group.
The researchers did most of their experiments on lung cancer samples but also looked at human breast and kidney tumors.
They found the same pattern: tumors with more active BACH1 were more likely to grow new blood vessels and responded better to treatments that block this growth.
Looking Ahead
The research team is eager to continue their work. They plan to explore how oxygen levels and free radicals affect BACH1 and to look at the impact on other types of cancer, like breast and kidney cancer.
“While our findings are surprising, they also open the door for new and more effective treatments,” says Wang.
“We’re not saying antioxidants are bad, but we need to be careful about taking them in large doses, especially if you’re at high risk for or already have cancer.”
So the next time you reach for that bottle of vitamin C supplements, you might want to think twice.
Not everything that’s considered “good for you” works the same way for everyone, and when it comes to cancer, this study shows we still have a lot to learn.
If you care about cancer, please read studies about a new method to treat cancer effectively, and this low-dose, four-drug combo may block cancer spread.
For more information about cancer prevention, please see recent studies about nutrient in fish that can be a poison for cancer, and results showing this daily vitamin is critical to cancer prevention.
The study was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.
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