Enhancing the efficacy of cisplatin in ovarian cancer treatment – could arsenic have a role
2009
Enhancing Cisplatin Efficacy in Ovarian Cancer with Arsenic
publication
Evidence: moderate
Author Information
Author(s): C. William Helm, J. Christopher States
Primary Institution: University of Louisville School of Medicine
Hypothesis
Could arsenic enhance the efficacy of cisplatin in treating ovarian cancer?
Conclusion
Arsenic shows promise in enhancing the effectiveness of cisplatin against ovarian cancer, particularly in overcoming platinum resistance.
Supporting Evidence
- Arsenite has inherent tumoricidal activity against ovarian cancer cell lines.
- Arsenic trioxide is already used clinically to treat acute promyelocytic leukemia.
- In vitro studies suggest that arsenite may enhance the activity of cisplatin.
- Arsenic trioxide showed additive effects with cisplatin in certain ovarian cancer cell lines.
- Further studies are warranted to explore arsenic's potential in combination therapies.
Takeaway
This study suggests that arsenic might help make cisplatin work better for women with ovarian cancer, especially those whose cancer doesn't respond to it.
Limitations
Further research is needed to fully understand arsenic's role and effectiveness in ovarian cancer treatment.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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