A simple supplement duo could offer a new angle in the fight against deadly brain cancer
A brain scan of glioblastoma highlights how aggressive this cancer can be. While glioblastoma remains one of the most formidable brain cancers, early findings from a small study exploring two widely available supplements with glioblastoma tumors hint at a potential new treatment path.
The supplements in question are resveratrol and copper, both commonly referred to as nutraceuticals—plant- or food-derived compounds believed to support health.
In a study conducted at Tata Memorial Hospital in India, ten glioblastoma patients who were preparing for surgical removal of their tumors took a tablet combination containing both resveratrol and copper.
Researchers then compared the molecular profiles of the brain tumor tissue removed during surgery from these ten patients with tissue from a matched group of ten patients who underwent similar surgery but did not receive the supplements.
These initial results are encouraging, though it’s important to note that the team evaluated cellular markers within the tumor tissue rather than the tumors’ size or direct progression, since the surgeries occurred about two weeks after the supplements began.
These findings have been described as potentially meaningful by cancer surgeon and public health researcher Indraneel Mittra. He suggests that a straightforward, inexpensive, non-toxic nutraceutical tablet might someday contribute to treating glioblastoma.
In treated tissue, a key cancer-growth biomarker known as the Ki-67 proliferation index dropped by nearly one-third compared with controls. Importantly, there were no clear signs that the tumors became less aggressive in imaging terms over that short interval.
Additionally, the treated samples showed an average 41 percent reduction in proteins that can help tumors evade immune responses. Three markers associated with cancer stem cells, which can drive tumor growth, were reduced by about 56 percent in the treated tumors.
No significant side effects were reported. The trial is ongoing, aiming to enroll a total of 66 participants and monitor them with semiannual scans for at least two years. Only after this period will researchers be able to determine whether the short course of resveratrol-copper actually impacts survival.
Mittra and colleagues chose resveratrol and copper because prior research indicated these compounds can neutralize cell-free chromatin particles (cfChPs). These are fragments of DNA released by dying cancer cells that, if taken up by neighboring cells, can worsen the disease’s aggressiveness.
In the brains of the glioblastoma patients who received the supplements, cfChPs were almost entirely absent, suggesting a possible mechanism by which the treatment may dampen tumor activity.
“Cell-free chromatin fragments inflame surviving cancer cells,” Mittra explains. “Eliminating cfChPs with this tablet pair could help suppress the cancer.”
Given the very challenging prognosis associated with glioblastoma, researchers are continually seeking novel approaches to treatment. This study presents an additional potential pathway to explore, though its ultimate impact on patient survival remains to be proven in the completed trial.
Mittra cautions that humanity has hunted cancer for millennia without a universal cure, and he advocates for rethinking treatment strategies—potentially shifting focus from relentless destruction through chemotherapy and radiation to approaches aimed at stabilizing or healing tumors.
The researchers published their findings in BJC Reports, and the full data will become clearer as the trial progresses toward its completion. What remains clear is that the idea of using a simple, accessible supplement pairing to influence tumor biology is attracting attention and warrants further study.
