Copper promotes the formation of blood vessels, including those that supply tumors. Depleting copper can deprive the tumor of its suppliers.
Copper chelation at a glance
Copper is a trace element tightly regulated within our bodies. One of its functions is to promote the formation of new blood vessels (angiogenesis), and as such it can also promote angiogenesis to supply tumors, enabling tumor growth, invasion and metastasis. Depleting copper in your body with chelating agents can slow or block cancer growth and recurrence.
Published evidence which we consider preliminary, plus expert use, show that copper chelation can extend survival among people with advanced and other difficult-to-treat cancers, such as triple-negative breast cancer. Because tetrathiomolybdate (TM), one of the common copper chelators, is no longer protected by patent, manufacturers have little financial incentive to conduct further trials.
CancerChoices ratings for copper chelation
We rate copper chelation on seven attributes, with 0 the lowest rating and 5 the highest. We rate the strength of the evidence supporting the use of copper chelation for a medical benefit, such as improving treatment outcomes or managing side effects.
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