Scientists perform successful trial of new antibiotic on cancer reoccurrence after su

[News]

SCIENTISTS fighting cancer have carried out the first successful trial of the effects of the antibiotic Doxycycline on cancer reoccurrence in patients after surgery.

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[donocco]

Very Interesting.
Ive always believed that the key to fighting cancer will be by using old drugs. Actually Doxycycline is a Tetracycline derivative. It has been known for years if not decades that Doxycycline like drugs have anti-cancer action. This so far has been due to Tetracycline like drug inhibigtion of what are called Matrix Metallopurinases , in particular MMP-2and MMP-9. These MMPs help break down the intracellular matrix between cells and allows cancer to spread.

Calcium binds to Tetracycline like drugs. This is why prescriptions for Tetracycline would carry the warning label "dont mix with dairy products for about 2 hours before or after taking the Tetracycline. Im pretty sure that Calcium is a cofactor for these Matrix Metalloproteinases. These Tetracycline like drugs may inhibit the Matrix Metalloproteins by chelating ionic Calcium

[donocco]

It may be Zinc more than Calcium although both seem to be involved. I hate to split hairs but I want to be accurate. Both Zinc and Calcium (and the iron in Ferrous sulfate) are divalent (two positive charges) ions. If you take a Tetracycline drug or a Quinolone drug (Cipro, Levaquin etc) with a divalent ion chemical the absorption of the antibiotic will be inhibited