Does Baking Soda Function as a Magic Bullet for Patients With Cancer? A Mini Review

Sodium bicarbonate, commonly known as baking soda, is widely used in the clinic as an antacid for treating gastric hyperacidity, among other conditions. Chao et al have reported a clinical trial about targeting intratumor lactic acidosis–transarterial chemoembolization. Based on conventional transarterial chemoembolization, the authors added a 5% sodium bicarbonate solution to cytotoxic drugs, resulting in a high local control rate. The explanation for the antitumor effects of sodium bicarbonate is related to acidosis in the tumor microenvironment. In this review, we summarize the findings from studies administering sodium bicarbonate alone or in combination with other anticancer therapies as cancer treatments, and discuss methods for safe and effective use of sodium bicarbonate in the clinic.