Kiran Foster

Scientists Show Commonly Prescribed Painkiller Slows Cancer Growth

Article
Bone, Muscle, & Joint
Current Medical News
+1
Contributed byMaulik P. Purohit MD MPHMay 31, 2016

Scientists from the Florida campus of The Scripps Research Institute (TSRI) have found that one of the most widely prescribed pain and anti-inflammation drugs slows the growth rate of a specific kind of cancer in animal models and suggests the medication could have the same effect on other types of tumors.

The new study, published online ahead of print by the journal Cancer Research, focused on the effects of celecoxib (Pfizer's Celebrex®).

Celebrex® targets an enzyme called "cyclooxygenase-2" (COX-2), which is linked to pain and inflammation. This enzyme is also critical in the creation of prostaglandins, compounds that act like hormones and play a role in promoting tumor growth. COX-2 expression is typically low in normal tissue, but high in multiple types of cancers.

"We were actually interested in determining what a particular signaling pathway does in cancer," said TSRI Associate Professor Joseph Kissil, who led the study. "In the process, we found that it activates genes that promote survival of tumor cells and that they do so by turning on enzymes involved in inflammation, including COX2, which anti-inflammatory drugs like Celebrex® inhibit."

The researchers went on to conduct animal studies tracking the effects of celecoxib on the growth of cancer cells from a tumor type known as neurofibromatosis type II (NF2). In humans, NF2 is a relatively rare inherited form of cancer caused by mutations in the anti-tumor geneNF2, which leads to benign tumors of the auditory nerve.

Animals received a daily dose of the drug, and tumor growth was followed by imaging. Analysis of the results showed a significantly slower tumor growth rate in celecoxib-treated models than in controls.

Using various approaches, the new study also showed that a signaling cascade known as the Hippo-YAP pathway is involved in these results and that the protein YAP is required for the proliferation and survival of NF2 cells and tumor formation.

"Our study shows that COX2 inhibitors do have an effect on the tumor cells," said TSRI Research Associate William Guerrant, the study's first author. "They also have an impact on inflammatory responses that play a role in tumor growth. It's possible that in other cancers these effects might actually be stronger because of the drug's impact on inflammation."



The above post is reprinted from materials provided by Scripps Research InstituteNote: Materials may be edited for content and length.

Disclaimer: DoveMed is not responsible for the adapted accuracy of news releases posted to DoveMed by contributing universities and institutions.

Primary Resource:

Guerrant, W., Kota, S., Troutman, S., Mandati, V., Fallahi, M., Stemmer-Rachamimov, A., & Kissil, J. L. (2016). YAP mediates tumorigenesis in neurofibromatosis type 2 by promoting cell survival and proliferation through a COX2-EGFR signaling axis. Cancer research, canres-1144.

Was this article helpful

On the Article

Maulik P. Purohit MD MPH picture
Approved by

Maulik P. Purohit MD MPH

Assistant Medical Director, Medical Editorial Board, DoveMed Team

0 Comments

Please log in to post a comment.

Related Articles

Test Your Knowledge

Asked by users

Related Centers

Loading

Related Specialties

Loading card

Related Physicians

Related Procedures

Related Resources

Join DoveHubs

and connect with fellow professionals

Related Directories

Who we are

At DoveMed, our utmost priority is your well-being. We are an online medical resource dedicated to providing you with accurate and up-to-date information on a wide range of medical topics. But we're more than just an information hub - we genuinely care about your health journey. That's why we offer a variety of products tailored for both healthcare consumers and professionals, because we believe in empowering everyone involved in the care process.
Our mission is to create a user-friendly healthcare technology portal that helps you make better decisions about your overall health and well-being. We understand that navigating the complexities of healthcare can be overwhelming, so we strive to be a reliable and compassionate companion on your path to wellness.
As an impartial and trusted online resource, we connect healthcare seekers, physicians, and hospitals in a marketplace that promotes a higher quality, easy-to-use healthcare experience. You can trust that our content is unbiased and impartial, as it is trusted by physicians, researchers, and university professors around the globe. Importantly, we are not influenced or owned by any pharmaceutical, medical, or media companies. At DoveMed, we are a group of passionate individuals who deeply care about improving health and wellness for people everywhere. Your well-being is at the heart of everything we do.

© 2023 DoveMed. All rights reserved. It is not the intention of DoveMed to provide specific medical advice. DoveMed urges its users to consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and answers to their personal medical questions. Always call 911 (or your local emergency number) if you have a medical emergency!