High doses of vitamin A may increase the effectiveness of treatment of pancreatic cancer – one of the deadliest cancers – say scientists from Queen Mary University of London, citing the results of conducted experiments. The Journal of Pathology informed about the research of British scientists and their consequences.
Pancreatic cancer is one of the deadliest cancers – only about 3 percent survive. patients. The main reason for the high mortality rate is the lack of clear symptoms of cancer (patients diagnosed with pancreatic cancer most often present with symptoms such as abdominal pain, nausea, weight loss, jaundice) and, consequently, its late detection. As a result, over 80 percent. in patients, it is diagnosed in the advanced stage when it has metastasized and surgery cannot be performed, which is currently the only chance for a cure (chemotherapy and radiotherapy are considered to be ineffective).
This may change the discovery of the team of prof. Hemant Kocher of Queen Mary University of London. These scientists combined chemotherapy with the administration of vitamin A. Studies in cell cultures and mice have shown that in pancreatic adenocarcinoma, high doses of this vitamin in combination with chemotherapy (an anti-cancer drug) disrupt multiple signaling pathways, limiting tumor growth and its invasiveness. The results have been so successful that clinical trials (called STARPAC) are planned to establish a safe combination of the drug and vitamin A. Patients are being recruited.
It is possible that the treatment efficacy of other cancers could also be increased in a similar manner. The authors, however, caution cancer patients against taking vitamin A on their own. It is worth remembering that the use of unjustified and excessive vitamin A supplementation can lead to an overdose. The effect may be a decrease in, among others immunity, liver dysfunction, changes in bone structure, joint pain.