Researchers say a new drug called Aptosyn and new uses for old medicines can help in the battle for old medicines can help in the battle against cancer.

Aptosyn works by a process called apoptosis, in which bad cells self-destruct. Cancerous and precancerous cells resist this process. But Aptosyn is designed to overcome this resistance and kill off abnormal cells.

Robert Towarnicki, whose father died of cancer, operates Cell Pathways, a small cancer-fighting research firm in Horsham, Pennsylvania. Cell Pathway's chief scientist, Dr. Rifat Pamukcu, also lost his mother recently to bladder cancer.

Both men strongly believe that Aptosyn combats cancerous cells. And they believe that it could have helped their parents, had the drug been available and approved by the Feceral Drug Administration (FDA).

Currently, Cell Pathways is seeking FDA approval to use Aptosyn for treating a rare disease that causes many precancerous and life threatening polyps to form in the colon.

According to Towarnicki, "There are actually 28 million Americans today walking around with precancerous polyps." Not all the people with precancerous polyps will be properly diagnosed and treated, he says.

However, Towarnicki believes that if the FDA approves Aptosyn, then the estimated 2.8 million Americans who get annual colon exams and polyps removed on a regular basis could be helped by Aptosyn. A twice-a-day dosage of Aptosyn could prevent the colon polyps from progressing to cancer, contends Towarnicki.

Dr. Pamukcu suggests that Aptosyn can also combat other types of cancer. He says, "We're seeing activity in colon cancer cells, prostate cancer cells, breast cancer cells, lung cancer cells; we're seeing activity in ovarian cancer melanoma."

But urologist Michael Goodman, M..D., has some reservations about Aptosyn treatment strategies. Dr. Goodman says, "I like Cell Pathways philosophy. What I don't like is their sort of all or none approach with the drug thinking that it's going to work on every cancer."

Goodman treats a lot of patients with prostate cancer. Often he performs surgery to remove cancerous cells. Besides surgery, he routinely recommends a combination of traditional cancer treatments along with nutritional supplements.

Meanwhile, Cell Pathways is also testing the possible synergistic effects of combining Aptosyn with another medicine called Gemzar.

Gemzar attacks cancer cells in the pancreas and lungs. Doctors believe that combining it with Aptosyn could help to combat abnormal cells.

Therefore, doctors are investigating other remedies to prevent normal cells from becoming inflamed and precancerous. This is why some anti-inflammatory natural supplements and medicines are now also being examined for possible cancer prevention and treatment.

Health care experts and researchers still do not all agree on the best way to battle this dreadful disease, but many concur that we are finally making some progress against cancer.

Standards To Live By

"Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray… The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and wonderful results." James 5:14a, 16b

[TOP]