Study sheds light on copper's role in driving kidney cancer

By Free Republic | Created at 2024-11-19 00:27:27 | Updated at 2024-11-24 03:45:06 5 days ago

Study sheds light on copper's role in driving kidney cancer
Medical Xpress / University of Cincinnati / Cancer Discovery ^ | Nov. 7, 2024 | Tim Tedeschi / Megan E. Bischoff et al

Posted on 11/18/2024 3:49:37 PM PST by ConservativeMind

A new study details how the accumulation of copper helps clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC)—the most common kidney cancer—grow and advance in stage.

Copper is an essential trace element that is required to produce energy in the body and allows humans to live in an oxygen-containing atmosphere.

Maria Czyzyk-Krzeska, MD, Ph.D. said that increased accumulation of copper is associated with worse outcomes for patients with ccRCC. Czyzyk-Krzeska and her colleagues established that ccRCC cells accumulate more copper as they advance from stage 1 toward metastatic disease.

The team found high copper levels help cancer cells make more of a special enzyme that boosts their energy and growth. At the same time, sugar (glucose) helps create a protective molecule called glutathione. This molecule clears out toxins and reduces the harmful effects of copper, giving cancer cells an extra survival boost.

The team discovered ccRCC tumors have metabolic "hot spots" with enriched copper-dependent energy production. These hot spots are in proximity to other tumor cells that have proliferative features essential for tumor growth.

Czyzyk-Krzeska emphasized that even though it is now better understood how copper helps ccRCC cells grow, it is still unknown exactly what is causing copper to accumulate in these tumors in the first place.

Experts hypothesize the copper accumulation can result from environmental exposures such as tobacco smoking, e-cigarette use or exposure to wildfire smoke. Veterans are known to be at a higher risk for kidney cancer, and exposure to copper in ammunition or at shooting ranges may also be a contributing factor. However, copper uptake by cancer cells can also be caused by mechanisms intrinsic to the tumors.

Levels of copper in patient specimens could be used as a biomarker to predict how aggressive the cancer is or whether it is likely to recur after initial surgery.

(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...

TOPICS: Health/Medicine
KEYWORDS: copper; kidneycancer

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“The team found high copper levels help cancer cells make more of a special enzyme that boosts their energy and growth. At the same time, sugar (glucose) helps create a protective molecule called glutathione. This molecule clears out toxins and reduces the harmful effects of copper, giving cancer cells an extra survival boost.”

Consider getting no more than 100% of the US RDA of copper, reducing sugars and carbs, and possibly making sure you get enough zinc, which can mitigate some copper excess (the paper did not talk to zinc). That copper to zinc ratio, as I understand it, should be at 1 mg copper : 7.5 mg zinc.

Do note water supplies can give you plenty of copper. My local water utility shows their samples give 0.5 mg per liter of fresh water. Running your water for at least 15-30 seconds after non-use over night can reduce copper leached into what you drink.

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2 posted on 11/18/2024 3:50:11 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)

To: ConservativeMind

'At the same time, sugar (glucose) helps create a protective molecule called glutathione.'

So, does this mean we should eat more carbs?

3 posted on 11/18/2024 4:02:24 PM PST by Jamestown1630 ("A Republic, if you can keep it.")

To: Jamestown1630

I believe in this context, it is helping the cancer make it just for itself.

4 posted on 11/18/2024 4:08:34 PM PST by ConservativeMind (Trump: Befuddling Democrats, Republicans, and the Media for the benefit of the US and all mankind.)

To: ConservativeMind

5 posted on 11/18/2024 4:15:30 PM PST by sauropod ("This is a time when people reveal themselves for who they are." James O'Keefe Ne supra crepidam)

To: All

6 posted on 11/18/2024 4:16:04 PM PST by BipolarBob (Enough of this talk about narcissists, let's get back to talking about me.)

To: ConservativeMind

Previous studies of copper–zinc workers have primarily observed significant increases in lung and other respiratory cancers. This study concurrently examined cancer incidence and cause-specific mortality for a cohort of workers at a copper–zinc producer in Ontario, Canada, from 1964 to 2005. Significant elevations in lung cancer incidence were observed
for males in the overall cohort (standardized incidence ratio [SIR] = 124, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 102-150) and
for surface mine (SIR = 272, 95% CI = 124-517), concentrator (SIR = 191, 95% CI = 102-327), and central maintenance
(SIR = 214, 95% CI = 125-343) employees. Significant elevations of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma incidence were observed
for male underground mine employees (SIR = 232, 95% CI = 111-426). Occupational etiology cannot be ascertained with
the current exploratory study design. Future studies could (1) incorporate exposure assessment for subgroups within the
existing cohort and (2) determine the efficacy of wellness programs in partnership with the local health unit.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/216507991206000506

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/216507991206000506

7 posted on 11/18/2024 4:16:15 PM PST by Beowulf9

To: BipolarBob

8 posted on 11/18/2024 4:16:39 PM PST by BipolarBob (Enough of this talk about narcissists, let's get back to talking about me.)

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