ANTIDEPRESSANTS AND other brain drugs could be helpful in treating cancers, according to promising new studies.
Researchers at the University of Birmingham have discovered certain antidepressants target lymphoma and leukaemia cells to prevent tumour growth.
By 2025, lymphoma will be one of the most common cancers along with breast and prostate cancer, according to John Gordon, professor of cellular immunology at the university.
Prof Gordon and Prof Nick Barnes at the MRC Centre for Immune Regulation have found that certain cancer cells respond to serotonin, the “happy hormone”, and dopamine.
These two chemicals work to keep the brain balanced and a drop in either can have serious detrimental effects.
The researchers found that there were receptors on the tumour cells which allowed serotonin and dopamine molecules to specifically target the cells and encourage them to re-enter the normal “suicide programme” for damaged cells.
A month ago, the scientists showed that cancer cells from patients with a wide range of different lymphoma and leukaemia cancers had these receptors.
This finding is significant as it means there is a range of already existing drugs that have the potential to treat cancers, including Prozac and L-Dopa, a drug used to treat Parkinson’s disease.
Prof Gordon presented his research at the 17th international annual conference of the Psychoneuroimmunology Research Society, held at Trinity College Dublin.
The research also found that ecstasy was shown to target receptors on the tumour cells. This has resulted in a plan to design new ecstasy-based drugs which treat cancer without the neurotoxic side effects.