BPC/TB4 and Cancer · Castore: Built to Adapt

BPC/TB4 and Cancer

I thought this might be right up your alley to discuss

. I am seeing the topic pick up again about why you should avoid BPC/TB due to possible increase in cancer likelihood. I can't tell if this is all just fear mongering or not. There doesn't appear to be any evidence regarding this outside of referencing a mouse study that was done:

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"In most solid tumors studied in mice, including fibrosarcoma, melanoma, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), colon cancer, and glioblastoma, TB4 overexpression promotes tumor growth, metastasis, and angiogenesis."

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One person is stating that since BPC up-regulates VEGF, this would be a pathway towards cancer development (below is what they posted).

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VEGF is historically a promoting factor in oncological aspects rather than causative, but this isn't the only concern.

VEGF was originally named "vascular permeability factor" for a reason. It opens gaps between endothelial cells, letting plasma proteins and fluid leak into the interstitial space. Off-target stimulation means edema in tissues that don't need increased perfusion.

The problem is that VEGF receptors sit on endothelial cells throughout the entire body, not just in the tissue you're trying to help. So if VEGF reaches non-target tissues, several things go wrong.

It can produce off-target angiogenesis, meaning new blood vessel growth where you do not want it. That can produce abnormal, fragile, leaky vessels rather than healthy functional ones. VEGF also increases vascular permeability, so tissue can become swollen or edematous. PMID: 35969170, 20400620

That matters because off-target VEGF signaling can worsen or drive pathologic neovascularization in places like the retina, where it is linked to vision-threatening disease, and in tumors, where it can support tumor blood supply and growth. PMID: 12597922, 39602505, 17306693

It can also create vessels that are disorganized and not durable. In experimental work, excess VEGF caused massive disruptive edema, and some new vessels regressed when the VEGF stimulus stopped, which shows that simply turning VEGF on in the wrong place may give unstable or harmful vascular remodeling rather than useful repair. PMID: 11953313, 39602505

The main things that can happen are:

-Unwanted blood vessel growth

-Leakiness and swelling

-Worsening of retinal or other neovascular disease

-Potential support of tumor growth

-Abnormal tissue remodeling instead of clean healing. PMID: 35969170, 12597922, 17306693, 35969170

-VEGF recruits monocytes and enhances inflammatory signaling cascades, so off-target exposure can amplify inflammation in tissues where you don't want it.

So at the simplest level, VEGF is one of the body’s main “grow blood vessels here” signals.

That could present as:

-Cancer, where tumors may use VEGF to build a blood supply.

-Eye diseases with abnormal vessel growth, like wet macular degeneration.

-Edema or leaky vessels, because VEGF also increases vascular permeability.

-Immune system problems.

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