Abortion pill may prevent cancer.

[ziviel]

Posted Sunday, Dec. 3, 2006
It may seem odd to call RU 486--the prescription-only abortion pill--pro-life, but it may be just that when it comes to cancer. Researchers at the University of California at Irvine reported last week that mifepristone, the active chemical in RU 486, can help thwart the growth of mammary tumors in mice caused by the mutant gene BRCA-1. More than half of women with this gene will develop breast or ovarian cancer by age 70.

In women with BRCA-1, the naturally occurring female hormone progesterone speeds the proliferation of mammary cells. "If we block the progesterone pathway using an antiprogesterone, it could prevent breast cancer," says Eva Lee, lead author of the study. That's exactly what mifepristone did for the experiment's mice, all of which had the BRCA-1 gene. At age 1, none of those treated with mifepristone had developed tumors. But all the untreated mice had tumors by the time they were 8 months old.

If reproducible in humans, the results of the study could pave the way toward preventing these cancers in women who have genetic predispositions. "Today women are advised to have frequent breast examinations and mammograms," Lee says. "But I hope that one day, if we have a more specific antiprogesterone, that we can use drugs for prevention.

[ziviel]

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1565568,00.html

[Diva]

Interesting. I wonder what the fertility implications of such a drug are. Obviously, one would have to stop such a drug in order to get pregnant, assuming one still could. What would the effects be of stopping the drug I wonder?

[SayWha]

I must admit, my eyes glazed over. Too many alpha-numeric names and mice. Eeeeeew mice. *shudder*

Anyway. What's it mean? Something about the chemical in RU-486 being useful in preventing breast cancer?

[JustNurseN8]

I also question the long term effect of such a drug on the body's natural release of hormones

[ziviel]

Okay here is a better article (I think)

(WebMD) The abortion drug RU-486 prevents breast cancer in mice carrying a dangerous "cancer gene" mutation, new studies show.

RU-486 itself will not be the answer for women; the potent drug is not meant for long-term uses such as cancer prevention.

But scientists say the cancer-preventing effects of RU-486 stem from the drug's ability to block progesterone, a major sex hormone.

So new, safer progesterone-blocking drugs are on the way to treat women with the BRCA1 gene mutations linked to breast cancer, says Eva Y.-H. P. Lee, PhD, professor of biological chemistry and cell biology at the University of California, Irvine.

"To prevent cancer, many women who are BRCA1 carriers have very traumatic surgery -- their ovaries and both breasts are removed," Lee tells WebMD.

"Many of these women have asked us about clinical use of RU-486, but it would have too many side effects for prevention use," she says. "However, I am happy to say that for the past three years there have been companies working on more appropriate anti-progesterone drugs."

Lee and colleagues report their findings in the Dec. 1 issue of Science.


How BRCA1 Causes Cancer

Breast cancer strikes between 36% and 85% of women with mutations in the BRCA1 gene, or in a second gene, BRCA2. These women also face a 16% to 60% chance of ovarian cancer.

Every cell in the body carries BRCA1 genes, which are involved in DNA repair.

It has never been clear why mutant, inactive versions of the gene are linked mostly to breast and ovarian cancer.

Lee's team found that mouse and human breast cells with BRCA1 mutations are overly sensitive to progesterone, a major sex hormone. Indeed, mice with BRCA1 mutations get breast cancer.

But when Lee and colleagues gave the mice RU-486, the animals did not get the cancer.

The researchers are now testing new progesterone-blocking drugs to see if they have the same effect in mice.

These are exciting findings.

But researchers can cure many kinds of cancers in mice, notes Kristin A. Skinner, MD, director of the multidisciplinary breast program and chief of surgical oncology at the University of Rochester in New York.

"This study shows progesterone blockage prevented breast cancer in a very special group of mice -- mice that carried mutations not just in the BRCA1 gene but in the p53 cancer gene as well," Skinner tells WebMD. "And what happens in mice is not always what happens in humans."

Still, Skinner is impressed with the new insights Lee's team has provided into how BRCA1 mutations lead to breast cancer.

"But this is a far cry from proving we can prevent these cancers by using an anti-progesterone like RU-486," she says.

"Before that happens," Skinner says, "we have to look at how RU-486 impacts normal human breast cells, how it affects breast cells with BRCA1-only mutations, and how it affects ovary cells ... because the biggest threat to life for women with BRCA1 mutations is ovarian cancer, not breast cancer."


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/11/30/health/webmd/main2221326.shtml

[ArcticPhoenix]

Mice have abortions?

[kmhowe72]

no kidding

[JustNurseN8]

Preventing Cancer would be awesome but blocking Progesterone in women would make us more of an emotion wreck..this same occurence happens when we menstrate...imagine feeling like that ALL the time...I would have to seriously weight the advantage. KWIM?

[JustNurseN8]

Preventing Cancer would be awesome but blocking Progesterone in women would make us more of an emotion wreck..this same occurence happens when we menstrate...imagine feeling like that ALL the time...I would have to seriously weight the advantage. KWIM?

Why did this post twice...?

[Michele]

Why did this post twice...?

Must have been a blip. Welcome to TCC!

[ziviel]

Preventing Cancer would be awesome but blocking Progesterone in women would make us more of an emotion wreck..this same occurence happens when we menstrate...imagine feeling like that ALL the time...I would have to seriously weight the advantage. KWIM?

That would blow! :lol: