By Admin at 30 Sep 2016, 16:12 PM
In some cases of prostate cancer, the tumors are so slow growing that they pose little risk to the patient. In these scenarios, it’s often recommended to simply watch the tumor rather than try to aggressively eliminate it.
Along these lines, some scientists are looking into therapies that slow the growth of cancer cells on a long-term basis, to the point that they no longer pose a significant health risk — in essence turning cancer into a manageable chronic condition. When this occurs, elimination of the cancer may no longer be necessary.
One such approach is called a metronomic dosage regimen. It delivers low doses of chemotherapy more frequently than conventional chemotherapy. Another approach, which is said to potentially be even more effective, was recently unveiled in the journal Chemistry of Materials.
The treatment involves administering two chemotherapy drugs at once and was tested in ovarian cancer in mice. Two drugs already commonly used to treat ovarian cancer, paclitaxel and rapamycin, were tested, but at levels one-tenth to one-third lower than the “maximum tolerable dose” used in conventional chemotherapy.
One of the drugs directly attacked cancer cells while the other targeted growth of blood vessels fueling the tumors along with cancer cell formation. The drugs are also delivered in a more targeted manner.
They were attached to polymer nanoparticles that are able to reach cancer cells specifically and release the drugs at a level of acidity found in the cancerous cells. The targeted low doses of drugs used in this therapy are advantageous because they slow or stop tumor growth while producing fewer side effects.
With typical chemotherapy regimens, patients often have to take breaks in treatment to allow their body to recover from the significant side effects. During these breaks in treatment, however, tumors may grow larger or develop resistance to treatment. Using low ‘metronomic’ (i.e., continuous or frequent) doses, treatment can continue uninterrupted with minimal side effects to the patient.
Lead study author Adam Alani, an associate professor in the Oregon State University/Oregon Health & Science University College of Pharmacy, told Medical Xpress:
"Our goal is to significantly reduce tumors, slow or stop their regrowth, and allow a person's body and immune system time to recover its health and natural abilities to fight cancer … I'm very optimistic this is possible, and that it could provide an entirely new approach to cancer treatment."
Sources:
Chemistry of Materials August 10, 2016
Medical Xpress August 26, 2016
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