News archive

Impotence drugs make chemotherapy more effective in rats

WEDNESDAY 30 JULY 2008

A US study has found that drugs used to treat impotence appear to help improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy in rats with brain tumours.

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre found that 'phosphodiesterase5 (PDE5) inhibitor' drugs like Viagra (sildenafil) and Levitra (vardenafil), which increase bloodflow to the penis in people with erectile dysfunction (ED), can also increase the flow of blood - and chemotherapy drugs - across the blood-brain barrier of laboratory rats.

This barrier limits the ability of substances like drugs from moving from the bloodstream into the brain - and therefore limits the effectiveness of chemotherapy.

Study author and neurosurgeon Dr Keith Black, chairman of the Department of Neurosurgery at Cedars-Sinai Medical Centre, commented: "This is the first study to show that oral administration of PDE5 inhibitors increases the rate of transport of compounds across the blood-brain tumour barrier and improves the effectiveness of the anti-tumour drug adriamycin in the treatment of brain tumours in a rat model."

The researchers investigated the impact of the ED drug vardenafil (Levitra) in 29 rats with brain tumours and have now published their findings in the journal Brain Research.

They found that rats treated with the anti-cancer drug adriamycin alone survived for an average of 42 days.

However, animals which also received the ED drug vardenafil survived for an average of 53 days, indicating that the additional drug helped to improve the delivery of the anti-cancer drug to the tumour.

Dr Black concluded: "The combination of vardenafil and adriamycin resulted in longer survival and smaller tumour size."

News provided by Adfero in collaboration with Cancer Research UK. Please note that all copy is © Adfero Ltd and does not reflect the views or opinions of Cancer Research UK unless explicitly stated.


* Stomach bacteria may prevent some oesophageal cancers
* "Research needed" to develop breast cancer prevention drug
* India bans smoking in public places
* Vitamin C may reduce effectiveness of anti-cancer drugs
* Black men face higher prostate cancer risk
* Tobacco products to carry stark picture warnings
* Low-cost test for hereditary breast cancer could soon be available
* Study uncovers commercial links between early Hollywood and tobacco firms
* Cancer drug availability varies widely across the UK
* Cancer patients to get free prescriptions
A - Z index A - Z index
Contact us Contact us
Donate now Donate now
Glossary Glossary
Print this page Print this page
AddThis Feed Button

Find out more
 
 
About this site   Accessibility   Donate now   Privacy   Site Map   Terms & Conditions   Top of page

Cancer Research UK is a registered charity No. 1089464.
Registered as a company limited by guarantee in England & Wales No. 4325234.
Registered address 61 Lincoln's Inn Fields, London, WC2A 3PX.