Copper promotes the formation of blood vessels, including those that supply tumors. Depleting copper can deprive the tumor of a blood supply of oxygen and nutrients.
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 may also promote angiogenesis to supply tumors, enabling tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis.1Lowndes SA, Harris AL. The role of copper in tumour angiogenesis. Journal of Mammary Gland Biology and Neoplasia. 2005 Oct;10(4):299-310; Lowndes SA, Harris AL. Copper chelation as an antiangiogenic therapy. Oncology Research. 2004;14(11-12):529-39. In addition, cancer cells have a higher demand for copper compared to non-dividing cells,2Shanbhag VC, Gudekar N et al. Copper metabolism as a unique vulnerability in cancer. Biochimica et Biophysica Acta. Molecular Cell Research. 2021 Feb;1868(2):118893. so depleting copper in your body with chelating agents may slow or block cancer growth and recurrence.
Drawing from published evidence, which we consider preliminary, plus how experts use it, copper chelation may extend survival among people with advanced and difficult-to-treat cancers. People with breast cancer—especially triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), which is difficult to treat—have shown longer survival and less progression in multiple small studies.3Nackos E, Kornhauser N et al. Altering the tumor microenvironment: a phase II study of copper depletion using tetrathiomolybdate (TM) in patients (pts) with breast cancer (BC) at high risk for recurrence. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2015 May 20;33(15_suppl):11008-11008; Chan N, Willis A et al. Influencing the tumor microenvironment: a phase II study of copper depletion using tetrathiomolybdate in patients with breast cancer at high risk for recurrence and in preclinical models of lung metastases. Clinical Cancer Research. 2017 Feb 1;23(3):666-676; Sahota S, Kornhauser N et al. A phase II study of copper-depletion using tetrathiomolybdate (TM) in patients (pts) with breast cancer (BC) at high risk for recurrence: updated results. Journal of Clinical Oncology. 2017 May 20:35(15_suppl):2557-2557. Unfortunately, tetrathiomolybdate, one of the common copper chelators, is no longer protected by patent, meaning that drug 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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