 |  |  | | | 'PROZAC KILLS CANCER CELLS' SCIENTISTS CLAIM | | | | |
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Release Date: 15th April 2003
Top scientists at the University of Birmingham have discovered that certain drugs, Selective Serotonin Reuptake Inhibitors (SSRIs) such as Fluoxetine - best known by the trade name Prozac - could be a possible therapy for some types of cancer known as lymphoma.
In a paper published in the American Journal 'Blood' (April 15) an international team of researchers led by University of Birmingham's Professor of Immunology John Gordon (Medical Research Council) and Dr Nicholas Barnes (Senior Lecturer) has announced that the SSRIs can - at least in the test tube - kill Burkitt's lymphoma cells.
In their initial research published last year the team found that a chemical naturally produced in the body, Serotonin (5-HT) activated a suicide programme (apoptosis or natural cell death) in the tumour cells of Burkitt's lymphoma.
They also showed that SSRI drugs could block the entry of Serotonin, thereby protecting the cancer cells from natural cell death. But their new research shows that by increasing the quantity of the drug they could actually reverse this process forcing the cells to commit suicide.
Professor Gordon said: " This new development is very exciting. We were intrigued as to the impact of the SSRIs on the cancer and found that by increasing the dosage of SSRIs the Burkitt's cells are killed.
"The initial indicators are exceedingly positive and we are already discussing with clinicians about using these drugs as a therapy for Burkitt's lymphoma. We are now examining the effect the SSRIs have on other cancer types."
Dr Barnes added: "As a class of drugs, the SSRIs are associated with very few and mainly minor side-effects, even when used at high dosages. It should therefore be possible to determine whether our research has direct clinical benefit with the minimum of delay".
At present, Burkitt's lymphoma is treated with chemotherapy, which generally achieves a high cure rate. However, response rates for AIDS-related Burkitt's lymphoma (see Editors notes) are much lower because patients are less able to tolerate intensive chemotherapy. Furthermore, the combination of chemotherapy, and the clinical support required is not always readily available in underdeveloped countries where the disease is endemic.
Ken Campbell, Leukaemia Research Fund Clinical Information Officer, said: "Burkitt's lymphoma is a particularly aggressive form of cancer which affects a huge number of people in Africa and a significant number of people in the UK.
"While there is still some way to go before doctors can start prescribing these drugs to patients with this cancer, these findings could be of major importance to those patients with the AIDS-related form of the disease, and to those patients who are not in a position to tolerate the intensive chemotherapy.
"Alternative treatments such as this which are inexpensive and have low levels of toxicity would be a major step forward in the treatment of this disease."
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