Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster • Hacker News Board

Re: Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster

#21

Post by dbbolton » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 7:02 PM UTC

The fact that high antioxidant levels could interrupt the ROS-p53 axis and prevent apoptosis (i.e. prevent cancer cells from dying) has been known for awhile.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acetylcysteine#Adverse_effects

Edit: forgot to mention one of the relevant studies is from 2005.

Re: Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster

#22

Post by TheCowboy » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 7:23 PM UTC

Slightly off-topic, but I wish media would stop using phrases like "scientists think" when reporting on a specific study without a general scientific consensus. "Scientists say global climate change is real" is completely fair though. It doesn't help science to give a false appearance of consensus, and likely leads to a public more willing to dismiss scientific evidence.

If this was a well-researched meta analysis that found a strong consensus, that would be different, but it doesn't seem to be the case.

This may not be the fault of the reporter, as often they don't get final say on the title. It would be marginally better to say "some scientists suggest". The conclusion of the article itself seems to suggest that the evidence is mixed.

Re: Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster

#23

Post by hanklazard » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 7:38 PM UTC

Anecdotal supporting evidence: A close family friend with chronic leukemia went on a "pro-oxidative" diet after reading similar previous data. He did see a drop in his counts (which had otherwise been elevated and stable) while not in active chemo.

Re: Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster

#24

Post by ChuckMcM » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 8:09 PM UTC

Another thing for the http://kill-or-cure.herokuapp.com/ app :-)

Re: Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster

#25

Post by tripletmass » Sat, Oct 17, 2015, 8:25 PM UTC

Geee wrote: post #19

It is widely believed that antioxidant supplements interfere with chemotherapy treatments, but it seems to be controversial subject. A relative of mine just started chemotherapy treatments and the doctors recommended avoiding antioxidants.

In particular, we want mice who when presented with a particular existing class of cancer spring to take antioxidants when they serve the mouse and not when it's going to perk up the cancer more, tell related mice how that feels, then survive at a significant rate; then look at their relatives. Sort of a missing hat trick at the end of _Ben_.

Re: Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster

#26

Post by alialkhatib » Sun, Oct 18, 2015, 1:50 AM UTC

dang wrote: post #16

melling wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The headline points to the Washington Post, not the WSJ. Did someone change it?

No, I think the GP meant WP.

Yep I did, my bad. Sorry about that.

Re: Scientists think antioxidants may make cancer cells spread faster

#27

Post by jsprogrammer » Sun, Oct 18, 2015, 2:17 AM UTC

Geee wrote: post #20

jsprogrammer wrote: post #9

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Interesting, but do you have any evidence that fasting is healthy?

There's lots, if you search, e.g.: https://news.usc.edu/63669/fasting-triggers-stem-cell-regene... https://news.usc.edu/29428/fasting-weakens-cancer-in-mice/ https://news.usc.edu/78953/fasting-and-less-toxic-cancer-dru...

Thank you, I have looked into it before and will continue to do so. However, the articles you linked were studies done in mice and those undergoing chemotherapy treatment. I am hesitant to extrapolate that up my myself.