United States National Academy of Sciences: Chronic Inflammation May “Awaken” Dormant Cancer Cells

Do you experience:Daytime sleepiness but difficulty sleeping at night

Stiff joints and sore muscles

Alternating constipation and diarrhea

Frequent eczema or skin allergies

If so,take note

these may be signs of

long-term chronic inflammation.

A recent study by researchers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences found that

chronic inflammation can potentially“wake up”dormant cancer cells.

Let’s explore the details below.


Surgery,radiotherapy,and chemotherapy are common treatments for many cancer patients.Yet,some patients experience a recurrence shortly after surgery,even when the primary tumor has been completely removed.This often occurs due to the“awakening”of dormant cancer cells.


Recently,researchers from the Chinese Academy of Sciences and Massachusetts Institute of Technology published a study in the Proceedings of the United States National Academy of Sciences(PNAS).Their findings show that inflammation can reactivate dormant cancer cells at distant metastatic sites,triggering cancer metastasis and recurrence.[1]

Chronic inflammation continuously damages healthy cells,promotes abnormal cell growth,and disrupts the body’s normal repair processes.Over time,this creates the ideal environment for cancer cells to form and expand—essentially serving as fertile ground for cancer development.


In fact,Traditional Chinese Medicine(TCM)has long warned that“body acidity is the root of all disease”and that“prolonged inflammation can lead to cancer,”ideas that align closely with modern research on the dangers of chronic inflammation.

According to TCM,long-term chronic inflammation disrupts the circulation of qi and blood and alters the metabolism of body fluids,leading to the buildup of“stagnant heat”and“phlegm turbidity.”Over time,these accumulations can impair the normal function of the body’s organs and meridians,creating internal conditions that support the development and growth of tumors.These traditional insights resonate strongly with modern scientific findings.


Studies have shown that hydrogen–oxygen gas has anti-inflammatory[1],antioxidant[2],and anti-apoptotic[3]effects.Its anti-inflammatory properties,in particular,have been the focus of extensive research.Some key findings include:

Research on Hydrogen-Oxygen in Inflammation

Key research studies include:

Document 1:“Hydrogen Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury and Inflammatory Response in Mice”

Document 2:“The Role of Hydrogen in the Prevention and Treatment of Coronary Atherosclerotic Heart Disease”

Document 5:“Hydrogen Alleviates Lipopolysaccharide-Induced Acute Lung Injury and Inflammatory Response in Mice”

Document 13:“The Effect of Hydrogen on Cerebral Ischemia–Reperfusion Injury”

Document 16:“Combination of Hydrogen and Tetrandrine Inhibits Silica-Induced Pulmonary Fibrosis by Attenuating Epithelial–Mesenchymal Transition and Inflammation via NF-κB/NLRP3 Signaling Pathway”

Document 18:“Hydrogen–Oxygen Therapy Facilitates Recovery from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Omicron Variant Infection”

Document 25:“An Overview of Molecular Hydrogen as an Adjunctive Therapy for COVID-19 Infection”

Document 44:“Inhalation of Hydrogen–Oxygen Mixture as an Adjunct to Home-Based Exercise for Elderly Patients with Knee Osteoarthritis”

Document 45:“Effect of Hydrogen Gas on the Incidence of Pulmonary Complications after Thoracoscopic Radical Resection of Lung Cancer in Patients”

Document 47:“Hydrogen–Oxygen Inhalation Improves Deafness After Radiotherapy for Nasopharyngeal Carcinoma”

Document 48:“Hydrogen Inhalation Promotes Recovery in Patients with Persistent Vegetative State After Cerebral Hemorrhage”

Document 49:“Hydrogen Improves Postoperative Delirium and Cognitive Dysfunction in Elderly Patients”Document 51:“Hydrogen-Induced Airway Mucus Barrier Disruption Enhances Nebulized RNA Delivery to Reverse Pulmonary Fibrosis”

Based on clinical research,Professor Cheng Youqin from the Chinese PLA General Hospital noted[5]:

The discovery of hydrogen’s biomedical effects is considered one of the most significant medical breakthroughs of this century.

Hydrogen is the only gas discovered so far that has biological effects and is non-toxic.

Third,hydrogen can reduce oxidative stress and excessive inflammatory responses.It can promote intracellular metabolic balance,offering etiological treatment rather than symptomatic treatment for humans.

In the field of cancer treatment,researchers have also explored the potential of hydrogen–oxygen therapy.

Professor LüYouyong,former director of the Molecular Oncology Laboratory at the Beijing Institute for Cancer Research and Peking University Cancer Hospital,explained that hydrogen molecules can neutralize excess reactive oxygen species and harmful free radicals in the body.This gives hydrogen–oxygen therapy a significant supportive and synergistic role in tumor treatment,particularly during the recovery and rehabilitation phase.

Thanks to the promising results of hydrogen–oxygen therapy across a range of diseases,leading hospitals and primary healthcare institutions in China have established"Hydrogen-Oxygen Clinics"or"Hydrogen-Oxygen Experience Centers","Hydrogen-Oxygen Sleep Centers"and"Hydrogen-Oxygen Rehabilitation Centers",among others.As a result,more patients are gaining access to—and benefiting from—hydrogen–oxygen therapy.

References:

[1]Zhang J,Zhang J,Han L,Wu S,Li J,Eaton EN,Yuan B,Reinhardt F,Li H,Strasser PC,Das S,Liu Donaher J,Khalil MI,Jiang H,Deuschel A,Lin D,Sebastiany C,Maranga M,Shubitidze S,Liu X,Lambert AW,Zhang Y,Liu Y,Sui L,Elmiligy S,Pozza U,Günsay R,Mishra R,Velarde J,Iyer S,Henry WS,Weiskopf K,Feng G,Oni TE,Watnick RS,Li X,Weinberg RA.Inflammation awakens dormant cancer cells by modulating the epithelial-mesenchymal phenotypic state.Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A.2025 Sep 9;122(36):e2515009122.doi:10.1073/pnas.2515009122.Epub 2025 Sep 3.PMID:40901881;PMCID:PMC12435312.

[2]Cai WW,Zhang MH,Yu YS,et al.,2013.Treatment with hydrogen molecule alleviates TNFα-induced cell injury in osteoblast.Mol Cell Biochem,373(1-2):1-9.

[3]Chen HG,Han HZ,Li Y,et al.,2020.Hydrogen alleviated organ injury and dysfunction in sepsis:the role of crosstalk between autophagy and endoplasmic reticulum stress:experimental research.Int Immunopharmacol,78:106049.

[4]Jiang Y,Liu G,Zhang L,et al.,2018.Therapeutic efficacy of hydrogen-rich saline alone and in combination with PI3K inhibitor in non-small cell lung cancer.Mol Med Rep,18(2):2182-2190.

[5]LüYuehua.Medical Technology｜Synergistic Efforts from Academia and Industry to Safeguard the Healthy Development of Hydrogen-Oxygen Medicine[J].China's Talents,2024,23:68-69.