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@ Bitinsightful
2025-06-04 17:39:11
The reasons why #ivermactin family drugs work.
Cancer itself, as a disease of human cells, is not "an anaerobic microbe." Human cells are eukaryotic and fundamentally rely on oxygen for efficient energy production (aerobic respiration).
However, there's a crucial concept in cancer biology called the Warburg Effect and the tumor microenvironment that relates to anaerobic metabolism:
* The Warburg Effect (Aerobic Glycolysis): Otto Warburg observed that cancer cells, even in the presence of sufficient oxygen, often preferentially switch their metabolism to aerobic glycolysis. This means they convert glucose to lactate, similar to fermentation in anaerobic microbes, rather than fully oxidizing it through the mitochondria for maximum ATP production.
* While seemingly inefficient for energy production, this metabolic shift provides cancer cells with rapid access to building blocks (intermediates of glycolysis) for their rapid proliferation, even at the cost of less ATP per glucose molecule.
* So, cancer cells can operate in a way that resembles anaerobic metabolism (glycolysis) even when oxygen is available, but they are not obligate anaerobes.
* Hypoxic Tumor Microenvironment: Solid tumors often have abnormal and poorly formed blood vessels. This leads to areas within the tumor where oxygen levels are very low, a condition called hypoxia.
* In these hypoxic regions, cancer cells are forced to rely heavily on anaerobic glycolysis for survival, as oxygen for aerobic respiration is scarce.
* This hypoxic environment also makes tumors resistant to some conventional therapies like radiation, which rely on oxygen to produce damaging reactive oxygen species.
* Anaerobic Bacteria and Cancer: There's also a growing area of research exploring the role of anaerobic bacteria within tumors. These bacteria are true anaerobes and thrive in the low-oxygen, necrotic (dead or dying) regions of tumors.
* Some studies suggest that these anaerobic bacteria might contribute to cancer progression by influencing the tumor microenvironment, altering cell signaling, and even affecting the immune response.
* Certain anaerobic bacteria, like some Clostridium species, are even being investigated for their potential in cancer therapies, as they can selectively colonize and destroy hypoxic tumor regions.
In summary:
* Cancer cells are not anaerobic microbes. They are human cells with altered metabolism.
* Cancer cells often exhibit aerobic glycolysis (Warburg Effect), which is a type of metabolism that resembles anaerobic fermentation, even in the presence of oxygen.
* Tumors often have hypoxic (low-oxygen) regions, where cancer cells are forced to rely on anaerobic metabolism.
* Anaerobic bacteria can inhabit these hypoxic tumor regions, and their role in cancer development and therapy is an active area of research. THIS IS WHERE CANCER GROWTH IS INTERRUPTED BY USING #ivermactin drugs.
So, while cancer itself isn't an anaerobic microbe, anaerobic processes and environments play significant roles in its development and progression.