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BP Drug Boosts Cancer Fight
31 Mar
Summary
- A blood pressure drug, telmisartan, shows promise in enhancing cancer treatment effectiveness.
- The drug appears to boost the immune system's ability to attack cancer cells.
- Clinical trials are ongoing to test this drug combination in prostate and ovarian cancer patients.
An inexpensive blood pressure medication, telmisartan, is showing potential to significantly enhance cancer therapies. Preclinical studies conducted at Dartmouth Health indicate that this FDA-approved drug can improve the effectiveness of treatments like olaparib.
The research suggests telmisartan aids the immune system by increasing the production of type I interferons, molecules that help the body recognize and combat cancer cells. It was also linked to reduced levels of PD-L1, a protein that aids tumors in evading immune detection.
While telmisartan belongs to a class of drugs previously considered for potential cancer risk, large studies have demonstrated their safety. However, the current findings are primarily from laboratory and animal models, with no human trials completed yet.
Dartmouth researchers are currently testing telmisartan's effects in clinical trials for advanced prostate cancer and newly enrolling patients with ovarian cancer. The goal is to determine if this combination can help more patients benefit from existing treatments and overcome drug resistance.
