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Cancer could be ‘starved’ by pills that remove copper from body

  • Increase in copper molecules in blood can cause cancer cells to ‘breathe’, causing higher growth rates
  • A high level of copper could mean an increase in deadly cancers
  • Scientist believe that pills to reduce copper could ‘starve’ the cancer cells

By
Luke Garratt


Published:

19:57 EST, 9 April 2014

|
Updated:

03:37 EST, 10 April 2014

Pills that reduce the amount of copper could remove cancer from the body by ‘starving’ the cancerous cells.

New research by Duke University in North Carolina says too much copper in the blood, a condition caused sometimes by an excess of green vegetables and seafood, has been linked with melanoma, as well as breast, lung and thyroid cancer.

While scientists do not believe copper causes cancer, they do believe it helps the cancer cells ‘breathe’ and that by removing copper we might lessen the development of cancer in the body.

A high level of copper could mean an increase in deadly cancers like melanoma (pictured)

Previous research has shown copper in drinking water – given at maximum levels permitted in public supplies – quickened the growth of tumours in mice.

On the other hand reducing copper levels slowed tumour growth, which suggests that copper is an essential factor in cancer in humans.

The new study has shown copper levels could play a part in forms of the disease that possess a common mutation in a cancer-causing gene called BRAF.

Experiments on mice and in cells reveal the metal is required for the growth and signalling in these tumours.

The study may allow scientists to tackle cancer with drugs used to block copper absorption in patients suffering from the rare mutation.

An increase in copper molecules in the blood (pictured) can cause cancer cells to ‘breathe’ more, causing higher growth rates

Similar
results were achieved with drugs used to treat patients with Wilson
disease, a genetic disorder in which copper builds up in body tissues
and damages the brain and liver.

Professor Christopher Counter said: ‘BRAF-positive cancers like melanoma almost hunger for copper.’

The BRAF gene is involved in regulating cell division and differentiation. When mutated it causes cells to go out of control.

Prof Counter and colleagues found when they blocked copper uptake by tumours with the BRAF mutation they stopped developing.

This even happened in cells resistant to treatment with compounds targeting the BRAF mutation.

Dr Donita Brady, who led the study, said: ‘Oral drugs used to lower copper levels in Wilson disease could be repurposed to treat BRAF-driven cancers like melanoma – or perhaps even others like thyroid or lung cancer.’

A clinical trial has already been approved at Duke to test the copper-reducing drugs in patients with melanoma.

Prof Counter said: ‘This is a great example of how basic research moves from the laboratory to the clinic.’

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Comments (95)

what you think

The comments below have not been moderated.

Approveds,

London, United Kingdom,

17 hours ago

If you take zink tablets they will take the copper out of your body.

TWINKLE,

KENT The Garden of England, United Kingdom,

12 hours ago

taking zinc will stop your stomach absorbing any more copper, but will not remove the copper that is already there. There are two drugs which will remove copper from the body, but they have side effects – they are Penicillamine and Trientine

webpa,

Albuquerque,

1 day ago

Whut a lot of skeptiks!! All the study described seems to show is that an insufficiency of copper causes problems, and an excess of copper causes problems. Other studies have shown the same for vegetables, meat, fish, fowl, insects, legumes, roots, cats, dogs, cellphones, beer, wine, etc. Wouldn’t it be nice if some study found the upper and lower limiting number of “scientific” studies that is good for the public sanity?

webpa,

Albuquerque,

1 day ago

Whut a lot of skeptiks!! All the study described seems to show is that an insufficiency of copper causes problems, and an excess of copper causes problems. Other studies have shown the same for vegetables, meat, fish, fowl, insects, legumes, roots, cats, dogs, cellphones, beer, wine, etc. Wouldn’t it be nice if some study found the upper and lower limiting number of “scientific” studies that is good for the public sanity?

John Henry,

Sartell_MN_USA,

1 day ago

The studdies remind us of the old proverb “Moderation in all things”.

BlockC,

Strangeways – Manchester, United Kingdom,

1 day ago

Cancer is perfectly natural. It is natures way of keeping things in check

fejfish,

Rugby, United Kingdom,

1 day ago

Why show a picture of a penny? We all know they are made from steel – try a magnet on one for yourself!

John Henry,

Sartell_MN_USA,

1 day ago

For scale you ninny.

Thementalist,

Newcastle, United Kingdom,

1 day ago

Evan, If they are so clever, then how come there are more people dying of cancer now than ever before. Billions in funding and the best treatment they come up with is still useless chemotherapy. I should know, I’ve lost five family members to cancer, including my Dad and they all had Chemotherapy. Chemo would kill a healthy person and that’s the best treatment they have. Ignorance is bliss where money is concerned.

Emma.D,

Itchycoo Park, United Kingdom,

1 day ago

Chemotherapy has made my Dad a very sick man. Also, as my dad had Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma, there is every chance that it might come back, despite the chemotherapy.

chriscross,

aberdeen, United Kingdom,

14 hours ago

Because we are so much fatter and unhealthier than ever before.

shazzbot,

handford,

1 day ago

I guess I’m gonna have to quit eating pennies for a snack.

nannyknowsbest,

London, United Kingdom,

1 day ago

They replaced old lead water pipes with copper pipes. Are we now going to be told that all our water pipes need replacing if they are made from copper ?

John Henry,

Sartell_MN_USA,

1 day ago

Replaced with plastic.

Robert Esquire,

Tamworth, United Kingdom,

1 day ago

Sugar is known to assist all disease to get worse especially cancer. B17 kills cancer cell walls than the immune system kills the cancer, but that is too simple for many people to try.

KittyKat,

Luxembourg,

1 day ago

“New research by Duke University in North Carolina says too much copper in the blood, a condition caused sometimes by an excess of green vegetables and seafood, has been linked with melanoma, as well as breast, lung and thyroid cancer”.
I just knew it! I was waiting for the day when the DM would tell us that vegetables were bad for us too (after saturated fats, meat, sugar, alcohol and now carbs of every kind). After decades of advice to eat up our veg, and especially the green ones, after being told not to eat just five a day but SEVEN a day, we are now told that an excess of green veg can cause cancer! Now that really does take the biscuit!! I think I’ll just give up and eat and drink everything in moderation. How about the ‘Moderation Diet’, eh?

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