Regulation of antioxidants in cancer.

Scientists in this field often joke, "If you don't have a mechanism, say it's ROS." Seemingly connected to every biological process ever described, reactive oxygen species (ROS) have numerous pleiotropic roles in physiology and disease. In some contexts, ROS act as secondary messengers, controlling a variety of signaling cascades. In other scenarios, they initiate damage to macromolecules. Finally, in their worst form, ROS are deadly to cells and surrounding tissues. A set of molecules with detoxifying abilities, termed antioxidants, is the direct counterpart to ROS. Notably, antioxidants exist in the public domain, touted as a "cure-all" for diseases. Research has disproved many of these claims and, in some cases, shown the opposite. Of all the diseases, cancer stands out in its paradoxical relationship with antioxidants. Although the field has made numerous strides in understanding the roles of antioxidants in cancer, many questions remain.

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Déclaration de conflit d'intérêts

Declaration of interests I.S.H. reports financial support from Kojin Therapeutics and consulting fees for Ono Pharma USA. Funding and fees from these companies are outside the scope of the current work.