Researchers are exploring whether two common dietary supplements, resveratrol and copper, might help weaken one of the most aggressive forms of brain cancer, glioblastoma. In a small clinical study conducted at the Advanced Centre for Treatment, Research and Education in Cancer (ACTREC), patients received low doses of the supplement combination for about 12 days before scheduled tumor-removal surgery. When scientists compared tumors from treated patients to those from patients who had not received the supplements, they observed several promising biological changes.
The researchers believe the resveratrol–copper combination may work by generating small amounts of oxygen radicals that break down fragments of DNA released by dying cancer cells. These fragments, known as cell-free chromatin particles, can sometimes act like distress signals that stimulate nearby cancer cells to become more aggressive.
Tumors from patients who received the supplements showed reduced cancer activity across several biomarkers linked to tumor growth. Levels of Ki-67, a marker that indicates how quickly cancer cells are dividing, were nearly one-third lower in treated tumors. Scientists also observed reductions in several markers associated with the cancer development, immune checkpoint activity, and cancer stem cell signals that contribute to tumor spread and treatment resistance.
Importantly, patients reported no side effects from the short course of supplements. However, the study involved a small number of patients, and researchers emphasize that larger clinical trials are needed. While resveratrol and copper are widely available as supplements, they are not a replacement for standard cancer treatments. Instead, these early findings may help guide future research into new ways of weakening aggressive tumors like glioblastoma.
Authored by Jakub Rzempoluch
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