CSB #6: Role of Naproxen in Colon Cancer Tumor Reduction

CSB #6: Role of Naproxen in Colon Cancer Tumor Reduction

Summary/Discussion:
Naproxen is a drug commonly used to reduce pain and swelling in diseases such as arthritis. Scientists have now found a new way to introduce this drug into cancer treatment. Researchers at Fox Chase Cancer Center found that naproxen and NO-naproxen reduced tumor formation in a strain of mutant mice that spontaneously develop colon tumors. Results have shown that the naproxen was associated with a 90% decrease in tumor size in mice infected with colon cancer. In the study, the scientists created two groups: control and naproxen group where they would leave the control group alone, but treat the naproxen group with that drug to test its effects on cancer. After 45 days, the mice that were treated with naproxen had a 70.3% smaller tumor than the control group. In addition, naproxen is already issued on the FDA approved list, so this drug could be enacted quickly to combat cancer in humans. Although they have not identified the exact mechanism that causes the reduction, the data provides a huge step towards curing cancer.


This article was very interesting and useful as it shows creative ways to fight this disease. Before, naproxen was used only in medical conditions pertaining to diseases such as arthritis which is not related to cancer. However, this discovery shows how factors that have been perceived as non-related could be used to treat patients that have cancer. Other questions arise such as: If naproxen can be used as cancer therapy, then could arthritis be related to cancer? One main concern that I had is if this drug could be used to treat humans because the studies were only conducted in mice, and may be ineffective in combating cancer in a human's body. Overall, I found this article to be very interesting as it opens new doors to finding the cure to cancer.


Citations:
Science Daily. "Naproxen Reduces Tumors in a Mouse Model of Colon Cancer,
     Researchers Report." Science Daily. N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2011.
     <http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2011/04/110406085052.htm>.
Picture: Daily Med. "NAPROXEN SODIUM tablet, film coated ." Daily Med Current Medication 
     Information . N.p., n.d. Web. 7 Apr. 2011. <http://dailymed.nlm.nih.gov/ 
     dailymed/drugInfo.cfm?id=3>.