Chimie médicale

Systemic Buffers in Cancer Therapy: The Example of Sodium Bicarbonate; Stupid Idea or Wise Remedy?

Abstract

Seraina Faes and Olivier Dormond

Despite recent therapeutic progress, cancer remains a major cause of death in industrialized countries. As a consequence, alternative treatments attract the attention of a growing number of patients. Among these therapies, the use of sodium bicarbonate to fight cancer has gained considerable interest. According to self-medication reports available on the internet, sodium bicarbonate is viewed by many patients as a simple, costless and efficient anti-cancer agent. Although no clinical study has demonstrated an anti-cancer activity of sodium bicarbonate up to date, emerging experimental reports indicate, that sodium bicarbonate may slow the progression of cancer. Here, we highlight the rationale to use sodium bicarbonate in cancer therapy and further enumerate experimental evidence for its anti-tumoral activity. Finally, we speculate about a future role of sodium bicarbonate in cancer therapy.