Anticoagulation, ferrotoxicity and the future of translational lung cancer research

Iron in the Tumor Microenvironment-Connecting the Dots

Iron metabolism and tumor biology are intimately linked. Iron facilitates the production of oxygen radicals, which may either result in iron-induced cell death, ferroptosis, or contribute to mutagenicity and malignant transformation. Once transformed, malignant cells require high amounts of iron for proliferation. In addition, iron has multiple regulatory effects on the immune system, thus affecting tumor surveillance by immune cells. For these reasons, inconsiderate iron supplementation in cancer patients has the potential of worsening disease course and outcome. On the other hand, chronic immune activation in the setting of malignancy alters systemic iron homeostasis and directs iron fluxes into myeloid cells. While this response aims at withdrawing iron from tumor cells, it may impair the effector functions of tumor-associated macrophages and will result in iron-restricted erythropoiesis and the development of anemia, subsequently. This review summarizes our current knowledge of the interconnections of iron homeostasis with cancer biology, discusses current clinical controversies in the treatment of anemia of cancer and focuses on the potential roles of iron in the solid tumor microenvironment, also speculating on yet unknown molecular mechanisms.

Application of Sodium Selenite in the Prevention and Treatment of Cancers

Selenium is an essential trace element that occurs in nature, in both inorganic and organic forms. This element participates in numerous biochemical processes, including antioxidant potential, but the mechanism of its anti-cancer action is still not well known. It should be noted that the anti-cancer properties of selenium depends on its chemical form, therapeutic doses, and the tumor type. Higher nutritional doses of selenium can stimulate human immune system. There are several hypotheses concerning the anticancer activity of selenium, including oxidation of sulfhydryl groups in proteins causing their conformational alterations. Conformational changes in proteins have the ability to weaken the activity of enzymes involved in the metabolism of cancer cells. In case of human fibrinogen sodium selenite, but not selenate, it inhibits protein disulfide exchange reactions, thus preventing formation of a hydrophobic polymer termed parafibrin, circulatory accumulation, of which is associated with numerous degenerative diseases. Parafibrin can specifically form a protein coat around tumor cells that is completely resistant to degradation induced with lymphocyte protease. In this way, cancer cells become protected against destruction by the organism's immune system. Other possible mechanisms of anticancer action of selenium are being still investigated.