&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "The little blue pill against cancer? Viagra shows surprising promise in new study")
The little blue pill that revolutionised the treatment of erectile dysfunction may have another unexpected role, this time in the fight against cancer. Researchers at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science have found evidence suggesting that sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, could help slow the spread of cancer by blocking a newly identified biological pathway involved in metastasis.
The findings, published in the journal Cancer Research, suggest the decades-old drug may limit cancer cells' ability to use cholesterol, a key ingredient they need to spread to other parts of the body.
How can Viagra slow cancer spread?
Sildenafil was originally developed to improve blood flow before becoming widely known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. Now, scientists say the same blood vessel-dilating properties may interfere with the way cancer cells access cholesterol.
According to the researchers, cholesterol is a crucial building block for cell membranes. Cancer cells that break away from a primary tumour and spread to distant organs rely heavily on cholesterol to survive and establish new tumours.
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By restricting access to cholesterol, sildenafil appears to make it more difficult for cancer cells to form metastases, the process responsible for most cancer-related deaths.
Statins may make the effect stronger
The researchers believe sildenafil's potential could be enhanced when used alongside statins, medicines commonly prescribed to lower cholesterol. While sildenafil limits cancer cells' ability to utilise existing cholesterol, statins reduce the body's production of new cholesterol.
The team says the two drugs together could create a double effect by cutting off both the supply and production of cholesterol available to cancer cells. An analysis of digital health records also found that people taking sildenafil showed significantly better survival rates, with the benefit appearing to increase when the drug was combined with statins.
Not a cancer treatment yet
Despite the promising findings, researchers caution that sildenafil is not a proven cancer treatment.
The study identifies a potential mechanism and an association seen in health records, but clinical trials will be needed to determine whether the drug can safely and effectively prevent cancer from spreading in patients.
Lead researcher Ayelet Erez said the findings highlight that cancer "is shaped not only by mutations in tumour cells but also by the patient’s metabolic state and by medications they are already taking for other conditions".
