Nicotine Might Thwart Chemotherapy for Lung Cancer
HealthDay News
Forbes
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Preliminary research suggests that nicotine can cripple chemotherapy in lung cancer patients, even if it comes in a patch or gum designed to help a smoker quit the life-threatening habit.
The researchers only looked at a sampling of human cells in the laboratory, and they don't know if nicotine could potentially derail chemotherapy for other types of cancer.Still, the findings suggest a simple message:
"If you have cancer, stay away from nicotine -- smoking or patches or gum," said study co-author Srikumar Chellappan, an associate professor at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Fla.While nicotine is a major player in making tobacco addictive, its role in causing cancer is unclear.
Other substances that make up tobacco smoke are considered more dangerous, which is why doctors consider it acceptable to use nicotine-based gum and patches to help smokers quit.However, nicotine isn't entirely in the clear, with some research suggesting it could counteract cancer treatment.
Chellappan and fellow researchers decided to see if it weakens chemotherapy, which targets tumor cells with poisonous chemicals.In their new study, the researchers tested the effect of nicotine on lung cancer cells exposed to three types of chemotherapy drugs -- gemcitabine, cisplatin and taxol.They report their findings in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and were scheduled to present them Sunday at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting, in Washington, D.C.
Apr 02, 2006
HealthDay News
Forbes
_____
Preliminary research suggests that nicotine can cripple chemotherapy in lung cancer patients, even if it comes in a patch or gum designed to help a smoker quit the life-threatening habit.
The researchers only looked at a sampling of human cells in the laboratory, and they don't know if nicotine could potentially derail chemotherapy for other types of cancer.Still, the findings suggest a simple message:
"If you have cancer, stay away from nicotine -- smoking or patches or gum," said study co-author Srikumar Chellappan, an associate professor at the H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center and Research Institute in Tampa, Fla.While nicotine is a major player in making tobacco addictive, its role in causing cancer is unclear.
Other substances that make up tobacco smoke are considered more dangerous, which is why doctors consider it acceptable to use nicotine-based gum and patches to help smokers quit.However, nicotine isn't entirely in the clear, with some research suggesting it could counteract cancer treatment.
Chellappan and fellow researchers decided to see if it weakens chemotherapy, which targets tumor cells with poisonous chemicals.In their new study, the researchers tested the effect of nicotine on lung cancer cells exposed to three types of chemotherapy drugs -- gemcitabine, cisplatin and taxol.They report their findings in this week's issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences and were scheduled to present them Sunday at the American Association for Cancer Research's annual meeting, in Washington, D.C.
Apr 02, 2006
