Anti-psychosis drugs 'may fight cancer'

24 August 2009 | 03:16:59 PM | Source: SBS - Michael Slezak

cancer cell

Cancer cells

Drugs taken for psychotic symptoms may help fight cancer, according to research conducted at the University of New South Wales and the University of Queensland.

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The research, which was prompted by the lower incidence of cancer among people on anti-psychotic medication, suggests that these drugs selectively kill cancer cells.

The new study, published online in The International Journal of Cancer, suggests that antipsychotic drugs inhibit the division and reproduction of cancer cells by altering the way they interact with cholesterol in their environment.

It found that the effect is also present in other cells, but to a much smaller extent.

According to the Erik Wiklund and his coauthors, the study "provides the exciting prospect that these agents will provide a new repertoire of cancer chemotherapeutics, complementing the utility of the more traditional DNA damaging therapies."

Side effects of drugs

The medications have a number of side effects such as slurred speech, muscle spasms and tremors, but the study notes that such symptoms are mild compared to some alternative cancer therapies and might be lessened by combination with other medications.

Although patients with psychotic symptoms are much more likely to smoke, a number of previous studies showed that the incidence of lung cancer among patients on anti-psychotic medications was not as high as would be expected.

The authors suggest that further research ought to be done into other medications that have similar actions to antipsychotics but which have more tolerable side effects.

The study examined the effects of six anti-psychotic medications and four different types of cancer cells. It found five of the drugs to be effective.
 

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