Work

Oxidants, antioxidants and the current incurability of metastatic cancers

Year: 2013

Type: article

Abstract: The vast majority of all agents used to directly kill cancer cells (ionizing radiation, most chemotherapeutic agents and some targeted therapies) work through either directly or indirectly generating reactive oxygen species that block key steps in the cell cycle. As mesenchymal cancers evolve from their epithelial cell progenitors, they almost inevitably possess much-heightened amounts of antioxidants that effectively block otherwise highly effective oxidant therapies. Also key to better understanding is why and how the anti-diabetic drug metformin (the world's most prescribed pharmaceutical product) preferentially kills oxidant-deficient mesenchymal p53(- -) cells. A much faster timetable should be adopted towards developing more new drugs effective against p53(- -) cancers.

Source: Open Biology

DOI: 10.1098/rsob.120144

Author: Jim Watson

Institution: Cold Spring Harbor Laboratory

Language: English

Topic: Redox biology and oxidative stress

Subfield: Molecular Biology

Field: Biochemistry, Genetics and Molecular Biology

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Good health and well-being

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $1,839