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Is lack of iron a risk factor for developing cancer? 

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Iron could be a relevant risk factor for carcinogenesis since it catalyses the formation of reactive oxygen species (ROS), which damage DNA.
Dysregulation of iron metabolism can increase cancer risk and promote tumor growth.
HighlightsMyriads of oxidative stress is a risk for cancer. Excess iron is linked with cancer in human epidemiology and in animal experiments. Cancer cells are under oxidative stress but with tolerance against oxidative stress. Cancer cells harbor increased iron pool with resistance to ferroptosis. L‐Ascorbate, non‐thermal plasma and glucose/Q depletion may hit fragility of cancer.
Iron deficiency causes anaemia, whereas excessive iron increases cancer risk, presumably by free radical generation.
These data, which indicate lower risk of cancer in iron‐depleted women, lend epidemiologic support to the hypothesis that high iron stores may increase cancer risk, at least for lung cancer.
Iron reduction was associated with lower cancer risk and mortality.
Reversed causality due to early disease giving symptoms of iron shortage, resulting in iron supplementation, is an issue to consider when a possible association between intake of iron and cancer risk is investigated.
BACKGROUND Dietary iron and zinc affect the risk of cancer, with dietary iron generally correlated with increased risk and dietary zinc with reduced risk.
Open accessJournal ArticleDOI
Richard G. Stevens, Donald R. Kalkwarf 
65 Citations
In particular, high available iron status may increase the risk of a radiation-induced cancer.

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