Keep the ‘New’ cancer drug in your medicine cabinet

It turns out that the same types of drugs that help reduce runny noses and watery eyes during allergy season might also help ward off tumors.

A new research report appearing in the July 2014 issue of The Journal of Leukocyte Biology suggests that antihistamines may have significant anti-cancer properties as they interfere with the function of a type of cell that is known to reduce the body’s ability to fight tumors (called “myeloid derived suppressor cells”). This research is very exciting as it draws a connection between two diseases that aren’t commonly linked: allergy and cancer.

“Antihistamines may be one of the most commonly used over-the-counter drugs, but this report shows that we still have much to learn about their potential benefits,” said John Wherry, Ph.D., Deputy Editor of the Journal of Leukocyte Biology. “It is certainly not yet time to prophylactically administer antihistamines for cancer prevention, but the more we learn about myeloid derived suppressor cells, the more interesting these cells and their products become as immunotherapy targets in cancer. These new results suggest that we must be open-minded about seemingly distantly related immune mechanisms to examine.”

Source: Medindia
Published: 01 July 2014

Category: Top Story