Scientists at the University of Miami have successfully tested a new drug, Platin-L, against treatment-resistant prostate cancer. Research published in the journal ACS Center Science.
The study used the chemotherapy drug cisplatin, a potent anti-cancer agent that is ineffective in treating prostate cancer. The scientists tested the Platinum-L modification, which targets the CPT1A protein that prostate tumors use for energy.
The drug was encapsulated in nanoparticles targeted for tumor aggregation due to its affinity for prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA). This made it possible to administer the drug orally.
The scientists tested the treatment on human cancer cells and mice with prostate cancer. Platin-L destroyed malignant cells, depriving them of their energy source. Side effects were minimal. In one mouse study, tumors shrank and treated animals maintained stable body weights, improved survival, and showed little or no evidence of peripheral nerve damage that usually occurs with cisplatin treatment.
ancient scientists showedthat the new treatment reduced cancerous brain tumors by 91%.