Pfizer Inc.

Erectile Dysfunction Drugs could help Treat Oesophageal Cancer, Study Finds

Erectile dysfunction drugs might assist deal with oesophageal cancer, research study discovers

22 June 2022

A component in impotence medication may assist treat oesophageal cancer, a study has found.

Southampton researchers discovered the PDE5 inhibitors in the medication helped permeate the barrier of cells around tumours, enabling chemotherapy drugs to reach cancer cells.

One in 10 patients presently makes it through the disease, which is found throughout the gullet, for 10 years or more.

The research study was funded by Cancer Research UK. The next phase is a clinical trial.

Prof Tim Underwood, lead author of the research study, stated the discovery could improve these survival rates.

He stated a cell known as the cancer-associated fibroblast, responsible for injury recovery, might be targeted with the inhibitors.

“It’s been utilized throughout the world in countless doses,” he described. “It’s safe, and we used it to cancer.”

He included it was to the researchers “awe and surprise and pleasure” that the drug had an impact.

“We need to put this into a medical trial where we attempt the drug type alongside chemotherapy to see if it makes the chemotherapy more effective,” he stated.

“The initial work suggests it must do, and if it does and if it’s safe, and it enhances outcomes of chemotherapy, then it could be truly significant for the patients I look after.”

The study was performed using tumours from 8 cancer clients, with further tests done on mice.

Chemotherapy just assists 20% of oesophageal cancer patients in a substantial method, he stated.

“If this drug combination even improves it by a little amount, we’re actually going to assist a a great deal of people every year to react much better and live longer.”

Researchers at Southampton University Hospitals state that the typical results of erectile dysfunction disorder drugs require extra stimulation, so would not impact cancer clients in the exact same way.

Prof Underwood said the primary side effects would be “a little headache, a bit of flushing”.

Terry Daly, from Aldershot, Hampshire, is one of the 9,500 individuals diagnosed with in the UK every year.

It often goes unnoticed in the early stages, with Mr Daly finding it was difficult to swallow his food and he ended up regurgitating it.

He is soon to undergo another round of chemotherapy, and stated if he had the alternative to take the new treatment he would have “taken it with both hands”.

“The research that is being done is definitely wonderful,” he said.

“It is just unbelievable that there are individuals out there going to spend their lives simply trying to discover a treatment, so that people can get on with their everyday lives and not need to go through all this stuff.

“You can’t thank these people enough for what they’re doing.”

The five-year research study has actually been funded by Cancer Research UK and the Medical Research Council.

A medical trial is expected within the next 18 months and if successful, it is hoped new treatments based upon this research study could be utilized within ten years.

Follow BBC South on Facebook, external, Twitter, external, or Instagram, external. Send your story concepts to south.newsonline@bbc.co.uk, external.

Related subjects

Aldershot

Southampton

Cancer

We had the same cancer as Andy Goram

31 May 2022

Lorry driver’s ‘ticking time-bomb’ cancer gene

20 June 2022

Related web links

Cancer Research UK

University Hospital Southampton

Institute of Developmental Sciences – University of Southampton

What is oesophageal cancer? – NHS

The BBC is not responsible for the content of external websites.