Antioxidants — On the Wrong Side of the Tracks?

Two animal studies indicate that antioxidant exposure may have significant unintended consequences for the progression of melanoma.

Antioxidants, available in many over-the-counter forms (vitamins C, E), are commonly regarded as safe and possibly cancer-protective. However, regulation of reactive oxygen species in cancers is quite complex, and though cells have evolved multiple mechanisms to control potentially mutagenic and damaging reactive oxygen species (ROS), increasing evidence suggests that cancers tune ROS levels to a sweet spot that avoids catastrophic toxicity while preserving generation of new mutations and inhibiting immune control.

Two recent studies in mouse models directly addressed how antioxidants might affect melanoma progression. Le Gal and colleagues showed that antioxidants increased melanoma invasiveness and metastasis. Both N-acetylcysteine (NAC) a…

Reviewing Author

Kenneth Y. Tsai, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Grant / Research support American Association for Cancer Research – Landon Foundation; National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute; Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas

Editorial BoardsJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Kenneth Y. Tsai, MD, PhD

Disclosures

Grant / Research support American Association for Cancer Research – Landon Foundation; National Institutes of Health/National Cancer Institute; Cancer Prevention Research Institute of Texas

Editorial BoardsJournal of the American Academy of Dermatology

Antioxidants — On the Wrong Side of the Tracks?

Topics

Reviewing Author