A groundbreaking study from researchers at the Cancer Research UK Scotland Institute suggests that selenium, a mineral found in Brazil nuts, may hold the key to preventing the spread of triple negative breast cancer (TNBC), a particularly aggressive form of the disease.
Triple negative breast cancer, which accounts for about 15% of breast cancer cases in the UK, is notoriously difficult to treat, especially when it metastasizes to other parts of the body. While conventional therapies can manage the disease, once it spreads, treatment options become limited.
Researchers discovered that TNBC cells require selenium to survive, especially when they are dispersed rather than clustered together. In this sparse state, the cancer cells cannot thrive without selenium. Interestingly, when TNBC cells cluster, they produce oleic acid which protects them from a specific type of cell death known as ferroptosis, which is induced by selenium deprivation. The researchers found that by disrupting selenium metabolism in these dispersed cancer cells, they could effectively kill them.
Dr. Saverio Tardito, the study’s lead, emphasized that while selenium is essential for our health, treatments that inhibit its uptake by TNBC cells could significantly reduce the risk of metastasis. Cancer Research UK reports that approximately 56,800 individuals are diagnosed with breast cancer annually in the UK, with TNBC presenting greater challenges compared to other types.
The findings from this study pave the way for new therapeutic strategies, offering renewed hope in the fight against one of the most challenging forms of breast cancer.
Helena Bradbury, EMJ
Reference
Selenium: could a common food supplement help prevent the spread of cancer?. Cancer Research UK. 2024. Available at: https://news.cancerresearchuk.org/2024/10/22/selenium-could-a-common-food-supplement-help-prevent-the-spread-of-cancer/#:~:text=The%20key%20to%20helping%20prevent,protect%20our%20cells%20from%20damage. Last Accessed: 24 October 2024.
