Health
Anti-aging supplements may undermine pancreatic cancer chemotherapy, study suggests
Laboratory and animal tests indicate that vitamin B3 derivative supplements could help pancreatic cancer cells survive treatments.
The short version
- Researchers at Case Western Reserve University found that vitamin B3 derivatives (NMN, NR, and NAM) protected pancreatic cancer cells from common chemotherapy drugs in lab settings.
- The supplements boost NAD+ levels, which pancreatic cancer cells can utilize to repair damage caused by chemotherapy.
- The researchers recommend that oncology teams screen patients for supplement use and advise patients in active treatment to consult their doctors before taking over-the-counter supplements.
Key facts
- A study published in the journal Cancer Letters found that vitamin B3 derivatives—nicotinamide mononucleotide (NMN), nicotinamide riboside (NR), and nicotinamide (NAM)—shielded pancreatic cancer cells from common chemotherapy drugs in lab cell cultures and animal models.[Fox News]
- The tested supplements boost NAD+ levels, a molecule used by cells for energy generation and damage repair, which pancreatic cancer cells appear to exploit to avoid cell death caused by chemotherapy.[Fox News]
- In testing, the supplements protected pancreatic cancer cells against three standard chemotherapy drugs: oxaliplatin, 5-fluorouracil, and gemcitabine.[Fox News]
- Lead author Jordan Winter urged oncology teams to routinely screen patients for supplement use and advised patients in active treatment to consult oncologists before taking over-the-counter supplements.[Fox News]
What remains uncertain
- It is unknown whether the laboratory and animal model findings translate directly to human clinical outcomes, as the study did not include human clinical trials.[Fox News]
- It is uncertain whether these supplements produce similar interference with treatments for other cancer types or under different chemotherapy drug combinations.[Fox News]