Cancer cells are smart and well-defended. They don’t rely on just one method to grow or survive—they use about ten major biological “pathways.” These pathways act like escape routes and power lines that let cancer resist treatment, avoid the immune system, multiply, and steal fuel from the body. Each one controls a different part of cancer’s survival strategy. To defeat cancer, we have to block several of these pathways at once—cutting off its support systems from multiple angles.
Below is a list of these ten main cancer pathways, how cancer uses them, and which supplements help block them. I also note whether each supplement is an antioxidant (A) or not (N), and how long they stay active in the body.
1. PI3K/Akt/mTOR Pathway
This pathway acts like a gas pedal. It drives cancer cell growth, survival, and resistance to stress. It’s one of the most important survival systems cancer uses.
Supplements that block it:
- Berberine (N) – 6 to 8 hours
- Curcumin (A) – 4 to 6 hours
- Quercetin (A) – 3 to 6 hours
- Apigenin (A) – 3 to 6 hours
- Resveratrol (A) – 1 to 2 hours
2. Wnt/β-Catenin Pathway
This pathway helps cancer cells stay in a stem-cell-like state, making them nearly immortal and resistant to treatment.
Supplements that block it:
- Ivermectin (N) – up to 24 hours
- EGCG (Green Tea Extract) (A) – 4 to 8 hours
- Berberine (N) – 4 to 8 hours
- Luteolin (A) – 4 to 8 hours
3. NF-κB Pathway
This is like a fire alarm for cancer. It helps cells survive damage, control inflammation, and recover quickly—especially after radiation or immune attacks.
Supplements that block it:
- Curcumin (A) – 4 to 6 hours
- Apigenin (A) – 4 to 6 hours
- Quercetin (A) – 4 to 6 hours
- Ivermectin (N) – up to 24 hours
4. HIF-1α Pathway
When oxygen is low, cancer uses this pathway to survive by switching to sugar-based energy and creating new blood vessels to feed itself.
Supplements that block it:
- Berberine (N) – 4 to 8 hours
- Curcumin (A) – 4 to 8 hours
- Resveratrol (A) – 1 to 2 hours
5. STAT3 Pathway
This acts like a personal bodyguard for cancer. It helps the cancer grow and keeps it hidden from the immune system.
Supplements that block it:
- Curcumin (A) – 4 to 8 hours
- Quercetin (A) – 4 to 8 hours
- Luteolin (A) – 4 to 8 hours
6. MAPK/ERK Pathway
Another growth control switch, this one helps cancer grow rapidly and escape treatment effects.
Supplements that block it:
- Apigenin (A) – 4 to 6 hours
- Curcumin (A) – 4 to 6 hours
- Quercetin (A) – 4 to 6 hours
7. MYC Pathway
This is like a turbocharger for cancer cells. It helps them duplicate quickly and rebuild faster.
Supplements that block it:
- Berberine (N) – up to 8 hours
- Apigenin (A) – 3 to 6 hours
- Resveratrol (A) – 1 to 2 hours
8. Telomerase Activation
Normal cells stop dividing when their DNA ends (telomeres) become too short. Cancer cells turn on telomerase to keep those ends long, making themselves immortal.
Supplements that block it:
- Quercetin (A) – 3 to 6 hours
- Curcumin (A) – 3 to 6 hours
- Fisetin (A) – 3 to 6 hours
- Resveratrol (A) – 1 to 2 hours
9. Glutathione Defense System
Cancer uses glutathione to block radiation and oxidative damage, like a chemical shield.
Supplements that lower this defense:
- Berberine (N)
- EGCG (A)
- Quercetin (A)
These weaken cancer’s ability to fight back and make oxidative therapies—like radiation—more effective.
10. Iron Metabolism Pathway
Cancer hoards iron to grow, defend itself, and resist treatment. Starving cancer of iron is a critical strategy.
Supplements that disrupt iron metabolism:
- Berberine (N) – reduces iron uptake
- Lactoferrin (Liposomal) (N) – binds to iron and blocks access (8–12 hours)
- Ivermectin (N) – interferes with cancer’s iron use (up to 24 hours)
This multi-pathway approach is key to weakening cancer from all sides. By cutting off growth signals, lowering defenses, and removing fuel sources, you’re stripping away the layers cancer uses to protect itself.