Can Slow and Steady Win the Cancer Race?
Researchers argue it’s time to consider cancer as a chronic disease. And that means more frequent treatment at lower doses
The conventional approach to cancer treatment involves bombarding cancer cells with the maximum tolerated doses (MTDs) of chemotherapeutic drugs in an attempt to eradicate the disease from the body. But for more complex cancers, like ovarian cancer, drugs have to be administered in three-week intervals to allow patients to recover from the adverse effects caused by treatment. During this drug-free interval, however, the tumor may reinitiate growth – and resistance to treatment is always a possibility. But what if, rather than treating cancer as an acute disorder, doctors approached cancer as they do chronic conditions, like diabetes?
In a collaboration between US (Pacific University and Oregon State University) and UK researchers (Kingston University), a new study used an approach known as “metronomic therapy” to treat ovarian cancer in mice (1). Metronomic therapy involves administering chemotherapeutic agents at doses significantly below the MTD, but given frequent intervals (several times a week or weekly) with no extended interruptions or breaks. The approach also utilized polymeric nanocarriers to deliver the drugs (paclitaxel and rapamycin).
“We found that the metronomic approach could significantly reduce tumor volume with no acute toxicity over 21 days,” says Adam Alani, lead author of the study and Assistant Professor at Oregon State University. “The combination of these agents work synergistically against the tumor microenvironment by inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis of cancer cells, as well as by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.”
Eventually, the researchers hope that such an approach could simplify the treatment regimen, reduce drug related side effects and extend the life of the drugs by preventing resistance should the patient need it in the future. “By taking a conventional therapeutic agent and administering it more frequently in lower doses, using a nanocarrier formulation, the direct effects on cancer cell proliferation can be extended to target the entire tumor microenvironment,” says Alani. “The nanocarrier formulation also allowed us to deliver the drugs at doses much higher than the commercially available formulations – making possible their potential use in traditional MTD based treatment regimens.”
Next, the research team will assess the effect of the developed nanocarriers on the immune response in ovarian cancer orthotropic models.
In a collaboration between US (Pacific University and Oregon State University) and UK researchers (Kingston University), a new study used an approach known as “metronomic therapy” to treat ovarian cancer in mice (1). Metronomic therapy involves administering chemotherapeutic agents at doses significantly below the MTD, but given frequent intervals (several times a week or weekly) with no extended interruptions or breaks. The approach also utilized polymeric nanocarriers to deliver the drugs (paclitaxel and rapamycin).
“We found that the metronomic approach could significantly reduce tumor volume with no acute toxicity over 21 days,” says Adam Alani, lead author of the study and Assistant Professor at Oregon State University. “The combination of these agents work synergistically against the tumor microenvironment by inhibiting proliferation and inducing apoptosis of cancer cells, as well as by inhibiting tumor angiogenesis.”
Eventually, the researchers hope that such an approach could simplify the treatment regimen, reduce drug related side effects and extend the life of the drugs by preventing resistance should the patient need it in the future. “By taking a conventional therapeutic agent and administering it more frequently in lower doses, using a nanocarrier formulation, the direct effects on cancer cell proliferation can be extended to target the entire tumor microenvironment,” says Alani. “The nanocarrier formulation also allowed us to deliver the drugs at doses much higher than the commercially available formulations – making possible their potential use in traditional MTD based treatment regimens.”
Next, the research team will assess the effect of the developed nanocarriers on the immune response in ovarian cancer orthotropic models.
- DA Rao et al., “Combinatorial polymeric conjugated micelles with dual cytotoxic and antiangiogenic effects for the treatment of ovarian cancer”, Chem Mater (2016).
Over the course of my Biomedical Sciences degree it dawned on me that my goal of becoming a scientist didn’t quite mesh with my lack of affinity for lab work. Thinking on my decision to pursue biology rather than English at age 15 – despite an aptitude for the latter – I realized that science writing was a way to combine what I loved with what I was good at.
From there I set out to gather as much freelancing experience as I could, spending 2 years developing scientific content for International Innovation, before completing an MSc in Science Communication. After gaining invaluable experience in supporting the communications efforts of CERN and IN-PART, I joined Texere – where I am focused on producing consistently engaging, cutting-edge and innovative content for our specialist audiences around the world.
