It’s a dual purpose medicine.
A recent study suggests that a drug originally designed to treat cocaine addiction could potentially impede the progression of advanced colon cancer.
Researchers have found that vanoxerine, the drug in question, may suppress the activity of cancer stem cells by reprogramming crucial gene networks essential for tumor growth. Lead researcher Yannick Benoit, an associate professor of cellular and molecular medicine at the University of Ottawa in Canada, explained that vanoxerine-treated tumors exhibit increased vulnerability to immune system attacks, attributed to the reactivation of ancient viral DNA fragments within the human genome. This discovery is particularly significant given the typically poor response of colorectal tumors to standard immunotherapy.
Colon cancer ranks as the second-leading cause of cancer-related deaths globally, often evading detection until it reaches an advanced stage due to its asymptomatic nature.
Originally developed to target the dopamine transporter protein involved in addiction, vanoxerine has demonstrated the ability to inhibit a crucial enzyme in colon cancer cells. The drug effectively suppressed stem cell activity within colon cancer tumors, both in human patients and in laboratory animal models, with minimal toxic effects observed in both contexts.
Benoit noted that these findings suggest vanoxerine could represent a safe therapeutic approach to targeting cancer stem cells in colorectal tumors without adversely affecting healthy stem cells in the body’s organs.
Published in the journal Nature Cancer on February 15, the study underscores the need for further research to fully assess vanoxerine’s potential in slowing or halting the progression of colon cancer.
Benoit expressed hope that their research could pave the way for the development of more effective treatment options for individuals diagnosed with aggressive forms of colorectal cancer, potentially enhancing their chances of survival in the future.
Discussion about this post