Mangafodipir, manganese (Mn) dipyridoxyl diphosphate, is a catalytic antioxidant and iron chelator recently (2006) suggested for cancer treatment in an Editorial in Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Preclinical research has shown that mangafodipir protects normal tissues without loss of anti-tumour activity during chemotherapy. Other advantages are that mangafodipir is already approved for use in patients as a contrast agent for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of liver, and that the experience for more than a decade reveals high safety with mainly minor and tolerable side-effects.