https://www.dpa-international.com/trends-and-features/urn:newsml:dpa.com:20090101:260730-99-206319/
https://www.scmp.com/news/world/article/3362421/viagra-shows-potential-against-cancer-spread
Best known as Viagra, the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil started off as a treatment for reduced blood flow but soon saw its value spike after its other effects became clear.
The blue pill could have more uses, going by research undertaken at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel, where scientists have found indications that it slows cancer metastasis.
Citing a “newly discovered biological mechanism” drawing upon the drug’s blood dilation effects, the researchers said sildenafil appears to curb cancer cells’ capacity to make use of cholesterol, “an essential component of cellular membranes.”
“Cholesterol is particularly important for cancer cells seeking to break away from the primary tumor, migrate throughout the body and invade distant organs,” the researchers pointed out, explaining that if access to cholesterol is limited, the cells in turn “have a harder time forming metastases.”
Viagra’s potential to limit cancer spread could be boosted by using it alongside statins, a widely taken medication that limits cholesterol production.
In a paper published in the journal Cancer Research, the team said an analysis of digital health records pointed to “significantly improved survival among sildenafil users, with a dose-dependent additive benefit observed when combined with statins.”
“The combination could not only limit cancer cells’ access to existing cholesterol but also prevent them from producing new cholesterol, potentially enhancing the anti-metastatic effect,” the Weizmann Institute said.
According to Weizmann’s Ayelet Erez, the research is a reminder that cancer “is shaped not only by mutations in tumor cells but also by the patient’s metabolic state and by medications they are already taking for other conditions.”
