Certain types of chemotherapy apparently work better, when supplemented with the opioid methadone. Although, there has not been a formal clinical trial yet, first treatments with individual patients look promising.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa/J. P. Kasper
Advertisement
It was more than eight years ago, when molecular biologist Dr. Claudia Friesen from the University of Ulm in Germany first found signs that the opioid D,L-methadone could help fight leukemia-cells and certain types of solic cancer cells. The leukemia cells died when methadone was added to an in-vitro cell culture.
Now the researcher spoke to Bavarian public broadcaster Bayerischer Rundfunk (BR) - a member of Germany's national public broadcasting system ARD - about remarkable successes in treating cancer patients.
For some years, the doctor had treated 80 patients with potentially fatal, advanced tumors with a combination of the chemotherapeutic drug temozolomide and methadone. All of the patients had previously received a very grim prognosis from their doctors, with a predicted life-expectancy not beyond summer 2015.
All of the treated patients lived considerably longer than predicted. Some of them are still alive today, the BR reports.
About three years ago, the molecular biologist figured out the molecular mechanics behind the observed drug effect.
"With human cells in an in-vitro experiment and also in an animal experiment, we were able to show what happens to the cancer cell when we combine a conventional chemotherapy with a supplement of D,L-methadone," Dr. Friesen, the head of the forensic molecular research laboratory at Ulm University, said.
Mutual enhancement of drugs
Methadone is commonly used in substitution therapy for heroin addicts. In combination with chemotherapy, it obviously activates opioid receptors that are located on the surface of cancer cells.
"And this leads to a faster absorption of the conventional cancer drug into the cancer cell," Friesen explained.
On the surface of certain cancer cells there are more opioid receptors than on healthy cellsImage: BayerHealthcare
"Furthermore, we were able to observe that less of the chemotherapeutic drug was being pumped out of the cell again. This means that the drug stayed inside the cancer cell longer and in higher concentrations than before."
A principle of keys and locks
The mutual enhancement of the two drugs was also influenced by one more factor: The chemotherapy apparently leads to an increase in the number of opioid-receptors on the cancer cell surface. This means even more methadone can bind to the surface of the cell.
Dr. Claudia FriesenImage: Universitätsklinikum Ulm
"This is like a principle of locks and keys," the molecular biologist said. "The higher the number of matching keys and the higher the number of doors with locks, the higher the possibility that one of them will open. This results in the death of the cancer cell."
Healthy cells, on the other hand, do not get damaged because they have a very small number of receptors on their surface. In their case, the signaling cascade - which eventually results in the cell's death - doesn't even get started.
But tests have shown that drugs known as opioid antagonists effectively interrupt the principle of keys and locks. "Using an opponent drug of D,L-methadone functions like sticking glue or bubble gum into the lock: the key won't work anymore," Friesen explains.
Dr. Friesen was able to conduct her experiments thanks to project funding that she received from the German cancer foundation (Deutsche Krebsstiftung) in 2009. The treatment of the 80 patients does not have the full status of a formal clinical trial, though.
Therefore, the first experiences with the treatment are not considered scientific proof of the supportive effect of methadone in chemotherapy yet - according to the rules of drug licensing.
12 ways to prevent cancer
Cancer doesn't have to be an inevitable destiny. Scientists know exactly what triggers the disease. And everyone can do something against the biggest threats.
Image: Getty Images
Destiny is in your hands
Being diagnosed with cancer is a shock that hits you hard. And yet almost half of all cancer cases could be prevented. Smoking alone triggers about every fifth tumor. The toxic cigarette smoke does not only cause lung cancer but many other kinds of tumors as well. Smoking is the most frequent self-imposed cause for cancer, but not the only one.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Being overweight increases cancer risk
In second place of cancer-causing agents: obesity. Why it causes cancer? Enhanced insulin levels increase the risk of almost all sorts of cancer, especially when it comes to kidney, gall bladder, and oesophagus cancer. Overweight women produce increasing amounts of female sex hormones in their fat tissue and hence have a higher risk for uterine or breast cancer.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Don't be a couch potato!
People who don't move enough are especially likely to get cancer. Long-term studies show that exercising prevents tumors. After all, working out lowers the insulin levels while preventing you from gaining weight. And it doesn’t have to be high-performance sport. Even just going for a walk or a bike ride makes a big difference.
Image: Fotolia/runzelkorn
Don't drink too much!
Alcohol promotes tumors in the oral cavity, the throat and the oesophagus. The combination of smoking and drinking is especially dangerous and increases the risk of cancer up to a hundredfold. While dinking one glass of wine a day is healthy and supports the cardiovascular system, you shouldn’t drink more than that.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Don't eat too much red meat!
Red meat can cause intestinal cancer. The exact cause has not yet been determined, but long-term studies show a significant correlation between the consumption of red meat and intestinal cancer. Beef is especially dangerous, but even pork can cause cancer to a minor degree. Meat consumption increases the risk of cancer one and a half times. Fish, however, prevents cancer.
Image: Fotolia
No more BBQ?
When barbecuing meat, carcinogenic substances are released, such as polycyclical aromatic hydrocarbons. It has been proven in animal experiments that these chemical compounds can cause tumors. However, long-term studies with humans have not yet unambiguously proven the same. It’s possible that consuming the meat causes cancer, not the way it is prepared.
Image: picture alliance/ZB
Avoid fast food
A good diet consisting of vegetables, fruits and dietary fibers can prevent cancer. However, when conducting long-term studies researchers found that a healthy diet has less impact on cancer prevention than previously assumed. It only decreases the risk of getting cancer by a maximum of 10 percent.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Too much sun is harmful
The sun’s UV radiation can penetrate genomes and change them. While sunscreen protects the skin from sunburn, the skin absorbs too much radiation as soon as it starts getting tanned.
Image: dapd
Cancer triggered by modern medicine
X-rays harm genomes. With an ordinary radiogram the exposure is only minor. But it’s a different story for computed tomography, which you should only undergo when necessary. Magnetic resonance imaging is harmless. But did you know that you’re even exposed to cancer-causing radiation when you’re on an airplane?
Image: picture alliance/Klaus Rose
Cancer triggered by infection
Human papillomaviruses can cause cervical cancer. Hepatitis B and C can cause hepatocytes to degenerate. The bacterium helicobacter pylori (pictured above) settles in your stomach and can cause stomach cancer. But not all hope is lost. You can get vaccinated against many of these pathogens and antibiotics help fight helicobacter pylori.
Image: picture-alliance/dpa
Better than its reputation
The oral contraceptive pill slightly increases the risk of getting breast cancer, but at the same time it strongly decreases the risk of getting ovarian cancer. All in all the pill is more protective than harmful, at least when it comes to cancer.
Image: Fotolia/Kristina Rütten
A true stroke of fate
But even if you do everything right, you’re never completely immune from getting cancer. Half of all cancer cases are caused by the wrong genes or simply age. Brain cancer is particularly likely to be inherited.
