Does BPC-157 Cause C@nc3R?

About, three times per week, I receive questions from readers about BPC-157.

One of the most common concerns I hear goes something like this:

Yesterday, I decided it was time to start doing research for an in-depth video on this topic.

And what I came across was shocking.

In fact, I felt compelled to write an email about it before I even filmed and published the video.

Today, I want to address this head-on by walking you through what BPC-157 is, why people worry about cancer, and what the research actually shows.

What Is BPC-157?

BPC-157 stands for “Body Protection Compound-157.”

It’s a synthetic fragment derived from a naturally occurring protein found in human gastric juice (the liquid in your stomach).

BPC-157 may speed up the repair of tissues such as muscles, tendons, bones, and even the gut lining.

People, including myself and my family, who use BPC-157 often report faster recovery after injuries, reduced inflammation, and overall improved healing capacity.

While this peptide shows promise, it’s important to remember that the FDA has not yet approved BPC-157 for medical use (and probably never will). 

That means there haven’t been large-scale, definitive clinical trials in humans to fully confirm its safety and efficacy over the long term.

Researchers have, however, studied BPC-157 in animal models and limited human trials for certain conditions (like inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis).

Overall, it appears to have low toxicity and few reported side effects.

Where Does the Cancer Concern Come From?

You may have heard warnings that BPC-157 could spur cancer growth.

Much of this stems from the fact that BPC-157 promotes angiogenesis—in simpler terms, it helps your body grow new blood vessels more quickly.

Angiogenesis is generally good when recovering from injuries since blood vessels carry nutrients and oxygen that help tissues heal.

However, because tumors also rely on new blood vessels to grow, some worry that a substance stimulating angiogenesis might accidentally “feed” potential tumors as well.

Another theoretical concern revolves around the fact that BPC-157 can upregulate certain growth factors and genes involved in cell division (for example, the VEGF pathway and a gene called EGR-1).

If a medication or supplement turns on growth-related signals, it’s logical to ask: Could this help cancer cells too?

It’s important to note that so far, these ideas remain hypothetical.

On paper, yes, any compound that boosts blood vessel formation or growth signals might pose a risk if someone unknowingly has a hidden tumor.

However, there is a difference between possible risk based on how something works (mechanism of action) and proven risk based on real-world evidence.

It’s akin to saying you don’t want to go to the gym because you could potentially get injured.

But where’s the evidence?

What Do the Studies Show?

1. Cancer Cachexia Study (Kang et al., 2018)

One of the most relevant pieces of research comes from a mouse model of colon cancer cachexia, which is the severe muscle wasting often seen in late-stage cancer.

In this study, mice implanted with a form of colon cancer cells were given BPC-157.

If BPC-157 truly fueled tumor growth, you’d expect these mice to show faster cancer progression.

Instead, researchers observed a few key results:

• Reduced inflammation in the mice (lower levels of harmful cytokines like TNF-α and IL-6).

• Less weight loss and muscle wasting (cachexia) in the BPC-157 group.

• No significant increase in tumor size compared to mice not receiving BPC-157.

In simpler terms, BPC-157 helped the mice maintain a healthier body weight and showed no sign of feeding the cancer.

The tumors did not grow faster or larger, which goes against the idea that BPC-157 is automatically a tumor booster.

2. Melanoma Cell Study (Radeljak et al.)

In a lab experiment (in vitro), BPC-157 was tested on human melanoma cells—a form of skin cancer known for being aggressive.

Surprisingly, BPC-157 actually seemed to reduce the proliferation rate of these cancer cells.

By interfering with the cells’ growth signals and possibly blocking parts of the vascular pathway (VEGF), BPC-157 may have acted as an anti-proliferative agent.

While this was just a lab study and doesn’t necessarily mean BPC-157 cures cancer, it certainly doesn’t support the idea that it helps tumors thrive.

3. Animal Toxicology and Observation

Over the past 30 years, many animal studies have used BPC-157 to test wound healing and other regenerative applications. These animals, often rats and mice, were carefully examined for signs of toxicity. Researchers found:

• No obvious cancer development or tumor formation in BPC–157–treated groups.

• No genetic damage that might raise the risk of cancer later on.

• Overall, a “very safe profile” with minimal side effects.

4. Human Trials for Other Conditions

Although human data is limited, BPC-157 has been tested in small-scale clinical trials for inflammatory bowel disease and ulcerative colitis.

Participants reported meaningful improvement in their symptoms without any significant adverse events.

Importantly, no cancers were reported in these trials, nor were there red flags in short-term follow-ups.

All of these studies hint at the same point: in practice, BPC-157 has not demonstrated tumor-promoting effects.

On the contrary, in some scenarios, it may actually help the body cope with cancer-induced stress or reduce tumor cell viability in lab settings.

Balancing Theoretical Risks vs. Real-World Data

It’s completely understandable to be concerned whenever you hear “this supplement may cause tumors” or “this peptide might spur cancer.”

The reality is that any compound that ramps up your body’s healing or growth processes—like growth hormones, certain peptides, or powerful regenerative therapies—usually comes with at least some theoretical risk.

Until we have long-term, large-scale, controlled human trials, there’s no way to say with 100% certainty that BPC-157 poses zero cancer risk under all conditions.

However, it’s equally important to pay attention to what actual evidence has emerged so far.

In the case of BPC-157, dozens of studies over the last few decades have not detected a strong tumor-promoting effect.

Quite the opposite: some research even suggests a neutral or protective impact against cancer-related processes.

Why the Confusion?

Much of the fear arises because:

• BPC-157 is not officially FDA-approved, so it doesn’t have the same robust, widely publicized clinical data that medications do.

• Influencers on social media sometimes oversimplify the scientific mechanisms. They might say, “BPC-157 increases new blood vessels—cancer needs new blood vessels—therefore it must cause cancer!” But as we’ve seen, biology is more complicated than that.

• There is a legitimate call for more research, especially human data, before BPC-157 can be deemed conclusively safe in every scenario.

Given all this, many doctors and regulatory agencies take a cautious stance.

The FDA has flagged BPC-157 as “unapproved,” the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) prohibits its use by athletes, and some physicians warn patients to avoid it until we have clearer human safety data.

Should You Worry?

For most healthy individuals:

• The practical evidence does not show BPC-157 causing tumor growth.

• Animal research and limited human trials suggest a strong safety profile overall.

• The biggest question mark remains long-term use and whether there might be hidden cancer risks over many years—simply because nobody has done a decades-long study on this yet.

If you have a personal or family history of cancer, it’s understandable to be extra cautious.

In that case, it might be wise to discuss these concerns with a healthcare professional or simply hold off until more conclusive studies emerge.

Risk tolerance is a personal decision, especially when it comes to experimental therapies.

I choose to drive in my car to the gym every day and am comfortable with the risk I take for the reward that awaits me.

In Summary

So, to directly answer the question: “Will BPC-157 cause cancer?”

• Based on the studies we have, there is no clear evidence that BPC-157 promotes tumor growth in practice.

• Some research even shows it might help in models where cancer is already present, by reducing inflammation or slowing cell proliferation.

• Theoretical concerns exist (mainly around angiogenesis and growth factor modulation), but so far they haven’t been confirmed in animal or human studies.

The best approach is always to make an informed choice in conjunction with professional medical advice—particularly if you have any existing health conditions or concerns about cancer risk.

I hope this helps clear up some of the confusion.

In closing, here is some food for thought:

Is it possible that some powerful forces, content with keeping us reliant on symptom-masking drugs, are intentionally painting BPC-157 as dangerous to prevent us from healing the root causes of our ailments?

Nah, probably not.

Best,

Hunter

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