MSM has been noted to regulate the cell cycle and induce apoptosis (programmed cell death) in certain cell types, and this has led to the idea that it could be an effective way to either slow the growth of or induce cell death in cancer cells.
MSM may be useful in the treatment of certain types of breast cancer, particularly human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2) positive breast cancer. In vitro studies have shown that MSM could slow cell growth and increase cell death in breast cancer cells. It might also improve the effectiveness of some chemotherapy agents used in breast cancer, such as tamoxifen and herceptin.[1][2][3]
MSM may have similar effects on prostate cancer cells, because it has been found to induce cell death and slow down the cellular reproduction cycle, and it may reduce the ability of the cells to invade surrounding tissues.[4] These findings have been replicated for lung cancer[5] and liver cancer.[6] It is important to remember that these are preliminary studies done in vitro, and more research, including clinical trials, will need to be done to confirm the efficacy of MSM as a treatment for cancer.
References
- ^Kang DY, Darvin P, Yoo YB, Joung YH, Sp N, Byun HJ, Yang YMMethylsulfonylmethane inhibits HER2 expression through STAT5b in breast cancer cells.Int J Oncol.(2016 Feb)
- ^Lim EJ, Hong DY, Park JH, Joung YH, Darvin P, Kim SY, Na YM, Hwang TS, Ye SK, Moon ES, Cho BW, Do Park K, Lee HK, Park T, Yang YMMethylsulfonylmethane suppresses breast cancer growth by down-regulating STAT3 and STAT5b pathways.PLoS One.(2012)
- ^S P N, Darvin P, Yoo YB, Joung YH, Kang DY, Kim DN, Hwang TS, Kim SY, Kim WS, Lee HK, Cho BW, Kim HS, Park KD, Park JH, Chang SH, Yang YMThe combination of methylsulfonylmethane and tamoxifen inhibits the Jak2/STAT5b pathway and synergistically inhibits tumor growth and metastasis in ER-positive breast cancer xenografts.BMC Cancer.(2015 Jun 19)
- ^Kowalska K, Habrowska-Górczyńska DE, Domińska K, Urbanek KA, Piastowska-Ciesielska AWMethylsulfonylmethane (organic sulfur) induces apoptosis and decreases invasiveness of prostate cancer cells.Environ Toxicol Pharmacol.(2018 Dec)
- ^Kim DH, Sp N, Kang DY, Jo ES, Rugamba A, Jang KJ, Yang YMEffect of Methylsulfonylmethane on Proliferation and Apoptosis of A549 Lung Cancer Cells Through G(2)/M Cell-cycle Arrest and Intrinsic Cell Death Pathway.Anticancer Res.(2020 Apr)
- ^Kim JH, Shin HJ, Ha HL, Park YH, Kwon TH, Jung MR, Moon HB, Cho ES, Son HY, Yu DYMethylsulfonylmethane suppresses hepatic tumor development through activation of apoptosis.World J Hepatol.(2014 Feb 27)