Botox may treat stomach cancers

WASHINGTON: Botox may be effective in treating stomach cancers, Xinhua news agency reports quoting a new study.

The study shows the drug slows cancer growth by eliminating the signals sent by nerves that are linked to cancer stem cells.

Researchers have tested the procedure on mice and will soon start testing on humans.

This study shows that nerves control cancer stem cells, said lead study author Professor Duan Chen of Norwegian University of Science and Technology and Professor Timothy Wang of Columbia University.

We found that by removing the effect of the nerve, the stem cells in the cancer tumour are suppressed, leading to cancer treatment and prevention, Chen said.

The study found that nerves promote tumour growth through the release of a neurotransmitter.

The researchers tried four methods to cut the connection between the nerves and tumour: by cutting the gastric vagus nerve (vagotomy), local injection of Botox to block the release of neurotransmitter from the vagus nerve, giving a drug to block the neurotransmitters receptor, and by knocking out of the receptor gene. All procedures suppressed the tumour growth.

But we found that the anti-cancer effects were remarkable, especially with local vagotomy or by injecting Botox. It actually surprised us. The finding that Botox was highly effective was particularly exciting, Chen said.

Botox is made from a toxin produced by the bacterium Clostridium botulinum and is well known to the public as a beauty treatment, but it is also used for different medical indications.

We believe this treatment is a good treatment because it can be used locally and it targets the cancer stem cells. The Botox can be injected through gastroscopy and it only requires the patient to stay in the hospital for a few hours, said Chen.

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Botox may treat stomach cancers