Offer to treat melanoma drug from worms

Specialists of the Institute of Oncology at New York University, suggested the use of anthelmintic drugs mebendazole for the treatment of melanoma, resistant to chemotherapy. Preclinical studies have shown that apoptosis promote mebendazole of tumor cells without affecting healthy melanocytes according to the journal Molecular Cancer Research. In the first phase of the research group led by Seth Orlov (Seth J. Orlow) led analyzed the antitumor activity of about two thousand known drugs. They found that the drugs belong to the group of benzimidazoles, the growth of melanoma cells to block programmed by stimulating cell death - apoptosis. Drug mebendazole (Vermoks) - For more tests scientists one of the representatives of the benzimidazoles have selected. This drug is well tolerated and is often used to treat worm infections, particularly enterobiosis, trichuriasis and ascariasis. Experiments have shown that mebendazole protein Bcl-2, which at high doses melanoma cells were prepared and used to protect the apoptosis of cancer cells inhibits. Blocking this protein stimulates apoptosis and destruction of tumor cells, the researchers reported. Sun mebendazole may be a promising and safe treatment of melanoma, the researchers reported. Led their preclinical animal models of melanoma have confirmed the efficacy of the product. The researchers now plan to conduct Phase I clinical trials, which could begin as early as next year.