Parkinson's Disease Drug May Also Attack Cancer

Rochester, MN (AHN) - A drug used in treating Parkinson's may also be used against cancer, according to scientists.

Dopamine is an artificial version of a chemical neurotransmitter allowing messages to pass between motor neurons in the brain. Patients with Parkinson's disease have loss this chemical neurotransmitter that led to typical symptoms of muscle rigidity and shaking. Dopamine helps overcome the deficiency.

Scientists discovered that the drug may also fight cancer by depriving tumors of oxygen. This process of blood vessel formation called angiogenesis is crucial to the survival of solid cancers. Dopamine blocks the transfer of the progenitor cells from the bone marrow to the blood circulation.

The study was conducted using mouse and cultured cells. It showed that treatment with dopamine greatly inhibits the mobilization of the progenitor cells.

Lead researcher Dr. Sujit Basu, who earned his M.D. and Ph.D. in Cancer Research from University of Calcutta, India said in a statement that the researchers can now test the concept in solid tumors where angiogenesis plays a critical role in the growth and progression of these cancers.

"Sometimes new drugs may not be the answer. We looked instead at a novel use for an established product and have found very promising results," he added.

The research is published in the March 13 online issue of Journal Of Clinical Investigation.