Possible Exploitation of an H+ Related Mechanism in the Treatment of Breast and Colon Tumors: A New Approach to the Adjuvant Treatment of Cancer

There is much of evidence, from basic research (Table I) and intermediary metabolism (Table II) and in the different situations where certain tumors arise (Table III) to consider that chronic abnormalities in microenvironmental pH may have both a direct etiological role in epithelial human cancer as well as an indirect one secondary to its mediating effects in the “in vivo” activation of N-nitroso compounds and other muc.osal.carcinogens (1). At the intracellular level, a pH rise has recently been thought to represent a universal and/or terminal, however non-specific mechanism of action of v-mos and ras oncogens (2,3), other growth factors such as phorbol esters, and external oxidants (4).