Comment · Wed, October 28, 2015 · Ceretropic & Nootropics Depot
Semax, NGF, BNGF and the risk of cancer?
Original post in this thread
Eugenics2015 · 25 points
What is the data on the nerve growth factor and cancer?
I have read posts stating the risk of brain cancer is increased exponentially, i've heard others say that there is no risk.
What information do you guys have?
Thanks
EDIT: You guys need to realize that we have over a 40% chance of developing cancer in our life-times and a 20% chance of dying from it. 1/4 people commenting here will probably die of cancer. Seeing as the chance of having existing cancer is extremely high, it seems to me that anything that would promote cancer growth is a big risk.
EDIT 2: It turns out that NGF was discovered in cancer, and is secreted by tumors.
EDIT 3: The lady that discovered nerve growth factor in CANCER took a pure form of the stubstance via eye-drops (wtf) for the next 40 years of her life with no negative effects. +1 for NGF
EDIT 4: It seems when these Russian nootropics promote NGF it is in the brain only. Most research seems to be about the effects of NGF in the body in general. We know it has a exacerbating effect on breast and prostate cancer, yet a neutral or even ameliorating effect on other cancers.
This either means that the substance is completely safe (or even benefici…
What they were answering
taktikz7 · 2 points
This is a topic we need to discuss more in-depth here. I'd like to get the opinion of the more educated here as well as our subreddit rockstars /u/gwern and /u/misteryouaresodumb if they get a chance!
u/MisterYouAreSoDumb · Ceretropic & Nootropics Depot
Cancerous cells happen every day in everyone's bodies. It's just a fact of life. DNA gets damaged, and that causes the cell to replicate improperly. Your T cells find those mutated cells, and destroy them. Where it becomes a problem is when your immune system does not recognize the mutations, and does not destroy the cells in time. That is why it becomes more and more likely to get cancer as you age. Your body's immune system gets slow, and gets overwhelmed. Also, the more time that goes on, the more chances there are for DNA damage, along with more epigenetic gene mutations. It's also why people with AIDS often die of cancer in the end. The immune system is the key to keeping cancer at bay.
Obviously growth factors can increase the growth of certain cells in the body. If one of those cells becomes cancerous, and expresses the receptor for that growth factor, then increases in that factor can speed up the spread of that particular cancer. Your immune system is still the gatekeeper in this whole game. A healthy and functioning immune system should be capable of taking those cells out in time. If you do not have a healthy and functioning immune system, or have some genetic predisposition to a certain cancer, then taking compounds that increase growth factors can increase the likelihood that a cancer will spread faster if it gets out of hand. They are not going to cause cancer, though. Human growth hormone and IGF-1 levels are highest in adolescence. However, most young people have immune systems that are just as strong. So cancer is not a problem. There are cases where a genetic predisposition, or an epigenetic change from an outside factor, can tip the scales in cancer's favor. In those instances, taking supplements that increase certain growth factors is probably not a good idea. If I found out I had brain cancer, I probably would reevaluate taking certain things that increase BDNF and NGF. However, I am not going to lose sleep over it under normal circumstances.