Arsenic and Thalidomide may be used to fight cancer
{{date|April 11, 2005}}

A gathering of more than a thousand medical researchers in {{w|Sydney}}, {{w|Australia}}, has been told that {{w|arsenic}} and {{w|Thalidomide}} &mdash; banned in the 1960s after being linked to gross birth abnormalities &mdash; held hope as a basis for new treatments, extending the lives of patients with an so-far incurable bone marrow cancer, {{w|multiple myeloma}}.

Diagnosis of the disease has increased by 45% in Australia since 1992. It is the most lethal form of cancer, and the topic of discussion, at the 10th International Myeloma Workshop, continuing until the 16th of April.

The two treatments had advantages over existing {{w|chemotherapy}} treatments, including lessened side-effects, and reducing the need for chemo- and radiotherapy. They may also be usable to treat other illnesses. Both were still under test.

"The development of arsenic dates back many years when it was used for lowering the {{w|Blood count|anchor=Manual blood count|blood counts}} in patients, even at the turn of the century," Professor Miles Prince, of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, told ''{{w|Australian Associated Press}}'' for the 10th International Myeloma Workshop.

"Subsequently [arsenic] was used in China since the 1960s for treating certain forms of Leukaemia," he said.

It could be used to induce the cell to "commit suicide".

"The side effects with Thalidomide are much less than with chemotherapy because it's not damaging innocent bystander cells - so you don't get low blood counts, you don't lose your hair, you don't get a sore mouth," he said.

"It was originally thought to work because [Thalidomide] blocks the blood vessel growth in {{w|Tumor|tumours}}, and that is still true, but the research that we've done has shown that one of its major causes of action is to stimulate [ {{w|immune system}} ] {{w|T cell|T-cells}} which are directly against the tumour, and these T-cells help patients with myeloma fight their disease," Professor Douglas Joshua, head of {{w|Hematology|Haemotology}} at {{w|Royal Prince Alfred Hospital}} in Sydney, told Australian radio.

"There's no doubt that with the new combinations of drugs - we've got Thalidomide, the sons of Thalidomide, Velcade and arsenic - we're adding years onto patient's lives and certainly it could add up to five years or more," according to Prof. Prince.

== Sources ==

* {{source|url=http://www.smh.com.au/news/National/Arsenic-latest-poison-to-combat-cancers/2005/04/11/1113071899694.html 
|title=Arsenic latest poison to combat cancer 
|pub=Australian Associated Press (AAP) 
|author=Australian Associated Press (AAP) 
|date=April 11, 2005 }}

* {{source|url=http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200504/s1342267.htm 
|title=World experts gather for bone cancer meeting 
|pub=Australian Broadcasting Corporation 
|author=ABC News Online 
|date=April 11, 2005 }}

* {{source|url=http://www.abc.net.au/am/content/2005/s1341713.htm 
|title=Study finds thalidomide can help fight cancer 
|pub=Australian Broadcasting Corporation 
|author={{w|AM (ABC Radio)|AM}}
|date=April 9, 2005 }}

{{archive}}
[[Category:Published]]
[[Category:Health]]
[[Category:Australia]]
[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Oceania]]
[[Category:Science and technology]]
[[Category:Disease]]
[[Category:Cancer]]

[[pl:Arszenik i thalidomid lekarstwem na raka]]
[[pt:Arsênico e talidomida podem ser usados contra o câncer]]
A gathering of more than a thousand medical researchers in Australia, has been told that Thalidomide — banned in the 1960s after being linked to gross birth abnormalities — held hope as a basis for new treatments, extending the lives of patients with an so-far incurable bone marrow cancer, .

Diagnosis of the disease has increased by 45% in Australia since 1992. It is the most lethal form of cancer, and the topic of discussion, at the 10th International Myeloma Workshop, continuing until the 16th of April.

The two treatments had advantages over existing  treatments, including lessened side-effects, and reducing the need for chemo- and radiotherapy. They may also be usable to treat other illnesses. Both were still under test.

"The development of arsenic dates back many years when it was used for lowering the anchor=Manual blood count|blood counts in patients, even at the turn of the century," Professor Miles Prince, of the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre, told  for the 10th International Myeloma Workshop.

"Subsequently arsenic was used in China since the 1960s for treating certain forms of Leukaemia," he said.

It could be used to induce the cell to "commit suicide".

"The side effects with Thalidomide are much less than with chemotherapy because it's not damaging innocent bystander cells - so you don't get low blood counts, you don't lose your hair, you don't get a sore mouth," he said.

"It was originally thought to work because Thalidomide blocks the blood vessel growth in tumours, and that is still true, but the research that we've done has shown that one of its major causes of action is to stimulate  T cell|T-cells which are directly against the tumour, and these T-cells help patients with myeloma fight their disease," Professor Douglas Joshua, head of Haemotology at  in Sydney, told Australian radio.

"There's no doubt that with the new combinations of drugs - we've got Thalidomide, the sons of Thalidomide, Velcade and arsenic - we're adding years onto patient's lives and certainly it could add up to five years or more," according to Prof. Prince.

* 

* 

pl:Arszenik i thalidomid lekarstwem na raka
Arsênico e talidomida podem ser usados contra o câncer
Published Health Australia Biology Oceania Science and technology Disease Cancer