Copper is a trace element needed to support many functions in the body including nerve function, utilization of iron, energy production, skin color and is important to a number of enzyme systems. The health benefits of copper are crucial for an overall healthy existence and cannot be produced within the body; therefore copper needs to come from our food sources. But copper competes with zinc and must be balanced to enjoy optimal health.
However, a recent study demonstrated that the amount of copper allowed in drinking water, accelerated the growth of tumors in mice while reducing copper levels in drinking water, reduced tumor growth.
The study led by Douglas Hanahan, a researcher at EPFL and holder of the Merck Serono Chair in Oncology, examined the role of copper in cancer. The research provides direct evidence that copper can enhance the proliferation of cancer cells. "The biggest surprise was that a small amount of copper added to drinking water accelerated the growth of tumors, indicating that copper is an essential nutrient for them" noted the lead author of the study.
Researchers found that copper insufficiency resulted in a lower activity of the respiration enzyme in tumors. PET scans also revealed that copper-deficient tumors took higher levels of glucose, suggesting that their cells were compensating more and more by using glycolysis rather than respiration for their energy. But despite this, ATP levels did not fully recover, and tumors did not grow further.
Importantly, the researchers do not think that copper causes cancer. The authors suggest that copper levels could be monitored in cancer patients. They propose that minimizing copper in the patient's system may be beneficial in cancer therapy, especially when combined with drugs that block glycolysis. This two-step strategy would starve cancer cells -- which tend to require much higher amounts of energy than normal cells -- by limiting their two major pathways for ATP production.
