Hope for a miracle cancer cure

KOLKATA: Two Kolkata-born scientists have discovered after a 14-year study that dopamine — known as the happy hormone — can also kill tumours, putting them on the verge of one of the most significant medical discoveries ever. Trials on mice have been successful, say researchers Partha Sarathi Dasgupta and Sujit Basu. If human trials succeed, cancer cure will get significantly cheaper — a chemo course costs lakhs while a vial of do

pamine comes for just Rs 25.

Dasgupta is an Emeritus professor with Chittaranjan National Cancer Research Institute (CNCRI) and Basu is a professor at Wexner Medical Centre, Ohio State University. Like penicillin — said to be the biggest medical discovery in history — the cancer-killing property of dopamine was discovered almost by accident when Dasgupta and Basu were carrying out random tests to analyze the hormone.

Dopamine is a neurotransmitter that helps regulate movement and emotions. The two researchers say it also starves cancerous tumours of blood, causing them to shrink and eventually vanish.

"Tumour cells multiply rapidly, making them swell very fast. It turns out to be dangerous in case of cancerous tumours. We concluded that if the growth of blood vessels can be checked, tumours will stop growing and disappear. In animal-model experiments, we observed that dopamine acted very well on cancerous tumours, effectively countering vascular endothelial growth factor (that helps tumours grow). They made tumours disappear," said Dasgupta.

It was in 2001 that the duo started the research at CNCRI and later moved it to Wexner Medical Centre in Ohio. Neither the distance nor the fact that Basu is a clinical pathologist and Dasgupta a basic scientist, affected the study in any way. Basu said that their connection is very unique and that researchers in India should look at their bonding and try to emulate it as such collaborations are the future of clinical research in India.

"In fact, it helped because we could always exchange ideas and it was easier to conduct the work in USA where funds are easier to arrange. We are through with the animal-model experiments and have published several papers along the way. Now, we are ready for human clinical trials," said Basu.

He explained that there are several binding sides in Dopamine, and mimicking one of these counters VEGF and can be used to control malicious tumours. It could revolutionize cancer treatment across the world. Other than cutting out the side effects of conventional anti-cancer drugs in use now, the dopamine therapy will also be much cheaper. While a conventional course could cost several lakhs, a dopamine vial is available for just Rs 25, Basu said.

"The price difference is a huge factor in a country like India. It will not only make treatment affordable for a large number of patients, the outcome will also be better. Moreover, since dopamine is an endogenous substance (it is produced in the brain), it will fuse more easily and naturally into the human system than antigens or antibodies that are used to nullify tumour growth," explained Dasgupta.

Though the researchers are ready for human trials, it may take some time. "We are considering the possibility of doing it in USA where funding won't be an obstacle. We might apply to the National Institute of Health in USA soon," said Basu.

Other issues have to be considered, too. Dopamine fluctuation could lead to serious disorders like Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. "If it can indeed be used to control VEGF, then it is a significant step. Anti-VEGF drugs are prohibitively expensive and out of reach for a large section of patients. But first, we need to know more about its side effects and efficacy in the long-run," said oncologist Gautam Mukhopadhyay.       http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Hope-for-a-miracle-cancer-cure/articleshow/48360493.cms