HER2 Support Group Forums - View Single Post - a drug already approved found to make chemotherapy more effectve&protects normalcells

Lani · 05-22-2006, 12:14 AM

So sorry! I went back to see what you didn't understand and I see that I negligently omitted to post the article in the first place! It was from the BBC and well-written so I couldn't understand why everyone was so puzzled! And I continued to waltz around the omission by adding more and more info when I forgot to post the name of the agent and how it seems to have two helpful effects--making chemo more efficacious and protecting normal cells from the chemo. My deepest apologies for my lapse, aka a "strokette":
Scan drug 'boosts cancer therapy'

Chemotherapy can damage healthy cells
A drug used to help doctors interpret medical scans may also help to boost the potency of anti-cancer therapies, research suggests.
Mangafodipir is used as a contrast agent in hi-tech magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

French researchers found it increased the cancer-killing ability of some chemotherapy drugs, while at the same time protecting normal cells.

Details are published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.

We welcome the discovery that this well-understood and tolerated chemical can increase the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy
Henry Scowcroft

Many anti-cancer drugs work by increasing the levels of hydrogen peroxide in tumour cells.

Tumour cells are particularly sensitive to the chemical, and die as a result.

However, certain enzymes in the body can work to protect cells from this kind of damage, rendering certain cancer drugs less effective.

In addition, the drugs are toxic to normal cells.

Double effect

Mangafodipir was found to help promote the production of hydrogen peroxide while at the same time, through different biological mechanisms, protecting healthy cells from damage.

A team from the Groupe hospitalier Cochin-Saint Vincent de Paul in Paris carried out tests on tumour cells and white blood cells taken from cancer patients, and white blood cells taken from healthy patients.

Each type of cell was exposed to three chemotherapy drugs - paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, and 5-fluorouracil - in the presence and absence of mangafodipir.

Mangafodipir was found to protect the white blood cells taken from both the healthy volunteers and the cancer patients.

The researchers also studied the effects of mangafodipir on mice with colon cancer who were being treated with paclitaxel.

Tolerated chemical

They found the drug protected the animals from infection which could compromise their immune system, and seemed to increase the cancer-killing potency of paclitaxel.

Henry Scowcroft, cancer information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "Mangafodipir was developed in the early nineties and has a good track record in cancer diagnosis.

"We welcome the discovery that this well-understood and tolerated chemical can increase the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy.

"These exciting preliminary results now need to be followed up in further trials, to make sure that the chemical is as safe when used for treating cancers as it is for helping detect them."

05-22-2006, 12:14 AM	#7
Lani Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 4,778	AND I only have age and the inevitable diminishing estrogen to the brain to blame!! So sorry! I went back to see what you didn't understand and I see that I negligently omitted to post the article in the first place! It was from the BBC and well-written so I couldn't understand why everyone was so puzzled! And I continued to waltz around the omission by adding more and more info when I forgot to post the name of the agent and how it seems to have two helpful effects--making chemo more efficacious and protecting normal cells from the chemo. My deepest apologies for my lapse, aka a "strokette": Scan drug 'boosts cancer therapy' Chemotherapy can damage healthy cells A drug used to help doctors interpret medical scans may also help to boost the potency of anti-cancer therapies, research suggests. Mangafodipir is used as a contrast agent in hi-tech magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). French researchers found it increased the cancer-killing ability of some chemotherapy drugs, while at the same time protecting normal cells. Details are published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. We welcome the discovery that this well-understood and tolerated chemical can increase the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy Henry Scowcroft Many anti-cancer drugs work by increasing the levels of hydrogen peroxide in tumour cells. Tumour cells are particularly sensitive to the chemical, and die as a result. However, certain enzymes in the body can work to protect cells from this kind of damage, rendering certain cancer drugs less effective. In addition, the drugs are toxic to normal cells. Double effect Mangafodipir was found to help promote the production of hydrogen peroxide while at the same time, through different biological mechanisms, protecting healthy cells from damage. A team from the Groupe hospitalier Cochin-Saint Vincent de Paul in Paris carried out tests on tumour cells and white blood cells taken from cancer patients, and white blood cells taken from healthy patients. Each type of cell was exposed to three chemotherapy drugs - paclitaxel, oxaliplatin, and 5-fluorouracil - in the presence and absence of mangafodipir. Mangafodipir was found to protect the white blood cells taken from both the healthy volunteers and the cancer patients. The researchers also studied the effects of mangafodipir on mice with colon cancer who were being treated with paclitaxel. Tolerated chemical They found the drug protected the animals from infection which could compromise their immune system, and seemed to increase the cancer-killing potency of paclitaxel. Henry Scowcroft, cancer information officer at Cancer Research UK, said: "Mangafodipir was developed in the early nineties and has a good track record in cancer diagnosis. "We welcome the discovery that this well-understood and tolerated chemical can increase the effectiveness of conventional chemotherapy. "These exciting preliminary results now need to be followed up in further trials, to make sure that the chemical is as safe when used for treating cancers as it is for helping detect them."