Abstract
An antioxidant is one of the most investigated topics for their health benefits in various human diseases through their ability to quench free radicals. In the past decades, a significant part of the literature emphasized the controversies related to the beneficial or detrimental effect of “antioxidants” against cancer. These emerging criticisms have given an imprecise image to antioxidant which swings from cancer preventer to promoter and from universal panacea to an insignificant component in cancer treatment. The darker aspects of antioxidants suggest being cautious about the indiscriminate prescription of antioxidant supplements in general, as well as to cancer patients. It would be more realistic to rely on plant-derived food as an optimal source of antioxidants rather than antioxidant supplements. At the same time, we should not have an extreme attitude towards antioxidant supplements that might hamper research to spot opportunities in the development of new antioxidants in cancer prevention. Hence, there is an urgent need to take lessons from the past to renew our knowledge and remove misconceptions about the role of antioxidants related to carcinogenesis and its prevention. This chapter aims to provide a nuanced understanding of both the beneficial and detrimental effects of antioxidants in cancer.
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Wahabi, K., Perwez, A., Rizvi, M.A. (2022). Antioxidant in Cancer. In: Chakraborti, S. (eds) Handbook of Oxidative Stress in Cancer: Therapeutic Aspects. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1247-3_5-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-16-1247-3_5-1
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