This is a slightly different kind of post — one grounded in science, but powered by hope.
It’s about a breakthrough in the treatment of one of the deadliest cancers we know.
Instead of blasting cancer with drugs that make people sick and still don’t improve survival rates, we’re talking about a simple, low-dose treatment approach that researchers believe could help push a deadly brain cancer toward healing rather than destruction
Resveratrol and copper make brain tumors less aggressive
Researchers studied 20 people with glioblastoma. Ten took a low-dose resveratrol-copper tablet four times a day for about 11 days before brain surgery, while 10 served as controls. Tumor samples from the treated group showed lower levels of markers linked to tumor growth, immune evasion and cancer stem-cell-like behavior.
As a result, a new approach to treating cancer has begun to emerge…
“We have been trying to kill cancer cells for 2,500 years, since the time of the ancient Greeks, without success,” says Professor Indraneel Mittra at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer in Mumbai, India.
“Maybe it is time to look at cancer treatment differently and work towards healing tumors, rather than annihilating them.”
Glioblastoma is one of the most feared brain cancers. Even with modern treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, patients typically survive only about 15 months.
But even with such an aggressive cancer, what if the real path to a cure is not to damage the cancer but to coax it into healing instead?
Professor Mittra and colleagues studied two groups of patients with glioblastoma.
One group of ten took a tablet with small amounts of resveratrol and copper four times a day for about eleven days prior to their scheduled brain surgery. The other group of ten with similarly aggressive tumors acted as a control group.
The results were astounding
Then, during surgery, the team collected brain tumor samples from both groups.
Resveratrol and copper dramatically reduced the aggressiveness of brain tumors by acting on cell-free chromatin particles (cfChPs) — particles released from dying cancer cells that circulate in the body and make surviving cancer cells more dangerous.
In addition, patients who took the resveratrol-copper combination showed reductions in cancer biomarkers (proteins or other molecules that indicate the presence of cancer).
Other reasons to get more resveratrol and copper
This was a small, early study based on tumor samples, not proof yet that the approach improves survival — but the biological changes researchers saw were remarkable.
More testing is needed before resveratrol and copper could be considered as a safe, simple way to help make cancer less aggressive — or possibly even push tumors toward healing. But the possibility is beyond exciting.
In the meantime, remember that these two natural substances have other important uses — and this isn’t the first time one’s been shown helpful in cancer research…
Resveratrol is a polyphenol that’s found in blueberries and cranberries and is especially abundant in the skin of red grapes (which is why a glass of red wine every so often won’t hurt!). It’s popularly known as the longevity antioxidant.
In previous breast cancer research, it was associated with helping to combat multi-drug resistance — a phenomenon where a person becomes resistant to their cancer treatment.
Copper is known to improve bone density and lower the risk of osteoporosis. Beef liver and oysters are high in copper, but you can also get it from cashews, sesame seeds, lentils, whole grains and mushrooms.
For the win, dark chocolate has both resveratrol and copper! Most nutritionists recommend a cocoa content of at least 60%.
But the higher the percentage, the more flavanols and other health-boosting compounds the dark chocolate contains, so go as high as you can while still enjoying the taste.
Sources:
What Is Glioblastoma and What Is the Survival Rate? — Healthline
Simple supplement mix shows remarkable results in brain cancer — Science Daily
Attenuation of malignant phenotype of glioblastoma following a short course of the pro-oxidant combination of Resveratrol and Copper — BJC Reports
FAQ: Resveratrol, Copper and Brain Tumors
No. This early study did not prove that resveratrol and copper can cure glioblastoma or improve survival. But researchers did find that patients who took the combination before surgery had tumor samples that appeared less aggressive based on several cancer-related markers.
Researchers studied 20 people with glioblastoma. Ten took a low-dose resveratrol-copper tablet four times a day for about 11 days before brain surgery, while 10 served as controls. Tumor samples from the treated group showed lower levels of markers linked to tumor growth, immune evasion and cancer stem-cell-like behavior.
The researchers believe resveratrol and copper work together to generate oxygen radicals that can deactivate cell-free chromatin particles, or cfChPs. These particles are released by dying cancer cells and may make surviving cancer cells more aggressive.
No one should use supplements as a cancer treatment without their doctor’s guidance. This was a small, early study, and the supplement combination used was specific. More research is needed before resveratrol and copper can be considered part of glioblastoma treatment.
Resveratrol is found in foods such as grapes, blueberries, cranberries and peanuts. Copper is found in foods like oysters, beef liver, cashews, sesame seeds, lentils, whole grains, mushrooms and dark chocolate. Food sources are healthy additions to many diets, but they are not the same as the supplement combination studied in glioblastoma patients.
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