Recent studies have shown that Lovastatin which is a cholesterol lowering drug may be useful in the treatment of pleural mesothelioma. Lovastatin is part of a group of drugs known as HMG-CoA reductase inhibitors (statins). The drugs decrease the production of bad cholesterol within the body. It is often prescribed to patients as an oral pill that is taken in low doses, once every four weeks.
Nearly 20 to 30 years ago, the drug's effects were known as killing cancerous cells, however, at that time it was too powerful to test on cancer patients. At that time, however, the anti-cancer effect was considered too risky to continue studying because of the extremely high doses that were needed to be given to a cancer patient. Researchers put the study on hold, according to news reports, until recently when scientists at a Nashville, Tenn clinic started providing the drug to pleural mesothelioma patients.
A stage-four melanoma patient had received treatments of Lovastatin in 2000 and currently remains cancer-free, nearly nine years later. Medical professionals aren't sure that Lovastatin can as do as much for pleural mesothelioma patients as it did for the melanoma patient, but it is being heavily researched.
Lovostatin is thought to carry out its anti cancer effect by a process known as apoptosis. Apoptosis is also described as programmed cell death, according to the Reproductive and Cardiovascular Disease Research Group, Apoptosis occurs when a stimuli is introduced to a variety of cells in which the cells begin to? commit suicide.
Mesothelioma patients should seek to know the available clinical trails for new drugs like lovastatin that they can participate in.
Reference:Bello Kamorudeen.http://www.mesotheliomacorner.blogspot.com
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