Painkiller tapped to be future cancer-killer
Researchers found that Diclofenac, a cheap and common painkiller, has anti-cancer properties and be used tot reat cancer in the future.
Diclofenac is a well-known and widely used non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) used to treat pain in conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis, as well as migraine, fever, acute gout and post-operative pain.
The study is part of the Repurposing Drugs in Oncology (ReDO) project, an international collaboration between the Anticancer Fund, Belgium, and US based GlobalCures. The project finds existing drugs to check if they can fight cancer cells.
Diclofenac taken in combination with other treatments, such as chemotherapy and radiotherapy, may improve their effectiveness. Researchers believe the evidence is enough to start clinical trials.
The drug has the potential to decrease the risk of metastases (or cancer cells spreading in the body), which is a huge win the fight against cancer, says the authors.
“After all, it’s metastatic disease that most often kills patients, not the original primary disease,” study author Pan Pantziarka explains.
Category: Features, Pharmaceuticals
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