The diabetes drugs, rosiglitazone (Avandia) and pioglitazone (Actos) have been shown to reduce the incidence of lung cancer in a study that appeared in the Journal of Clinical Oncology on April 20, 2007. The two drugs are in the class of thiazolidinediones (TZD's) and are commonly prescribed for type 2 diabetes.
Researchers discovered a 33% reduction in lung cancer risk in men who had taken TZD's compared with men who hadn't.
In an unrelated study from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston, Massachusetts, rosiglitazone was also shown to increase the effectiveness of chemotherapy drugs when administered together. A press release dated May 7, 2007 states that when rosiglitazone is combined with platinum chemotherapy drugs, the combination worked three times as well on tumors in mice, either stopping them from growing or shrinking them.
Bruce Spiegelman, PhD, and senior author of the study says "There's still a huge gulf between these experiments and human cancers, but it's worked in every animal model of cancer we've looked at, and I think there's a fair chance it will help people."
Human clinical trials may begin later this year.
More from your guide...
- Rosiglitazone Reduces Risk of Diabetes
- Medication Reference Chart for Type 2 Diabetes
- Clinical Trials Need Volunteers
Photo by Marcelo Terraza
