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A form of vitamin D can greatly enhance radiation treatment
for tumors associated with breast cancer, according to a study.
Combining a vitamin D analog with radiation could potentially
be beneficial to wipe out radiation-resistant cancer cells.
Radiation therapy is commonly used after a malignant tumor
is surgically removed. However, there are often radiation-resistant
cells that may cause a recurrence of cancer. The vitamin D
analog EB 1089, when combined with radiation, is capable of
destroying such cells.
In the study, tumor growth in mice that had been treated
with radiation alone was compared to tumor growth in mice
that had been exposed to radiation and EB 1089, a derivative
of vitamin D. Mice irradiated with EB 1089 had about 50 percent
lower final tumor volume than mice that received radiation
alone.
Based on the favorable results, researchers are eager to
begin clinical trials with breast cancer treatments in humans.
Breast cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among
women between the ages of 20 and 59, with about 40,000 deaths
each year. About 200,000 women are diagnosed with the disease
each year.
Increasing evidence shows that vitamin D, which is naturally
produced by the body after exposure to sunlight, helps to
prevent and treat several forms of cancer. However, excess
vitamin D can result in excessive calcium that can affect
bone metabolism and structure. The vitamin D analog EB 1089
has a modified chemical structure, which has significantly
fewer calcium-related side effects.
Researchers say that additional trials are needed to confirm
results, but are optimistic that the findings could provide
benefits with radiation-resistant brain tumors and prostate
cancer, along with breast cancer. In Europe, the analog EB
1089 is undergoing clinical patient trials for the treatment
of cancer, without radiation therapy.
Cancer
Chemother Pharmacology May 2003;51(5):415-21
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