| "Cancer
cure in two years" ?
The truth about endostatin and angiostatin - and video
Dramatic cancer cure rates in mice but effect
on human cancer unknown
![[Text menu at bottom]](images/cancer.gif) Cancer
cures come and go, yet many cancers are now fully treatable with
impressive results. On 5 May 1998 the Head of the US National Cancer
Institute Dr Richard Klausner declared a major breakthrough in research
with two new drugs, endostatin and angiostatin. Endostatin prevents
growth of cancer cells, while angiostatin stops blood vessel formation
in or next to cancer growths. (For latest news read on).
This followed Dr Judah Folkman's discovery that these
two drugs wiped out all kinds of different cancer growths in mice.
Dr Folkman is a professor and researcher at Boston's childrens hospital.
He is concerned that his results will lead to false hope, although
he is very encouraged.
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For years doctors have noticed that when a large cancer
growth is removed, several new tumours often emerge. It is as if
a group of cancer cells is making a cancer suppressant. They identified
a cancer preventer in the urine of mice with large tumours, angiostatin,
a well-known chemical used by the body as part of a blood clotting
mechanism. They then extracted human angiostatin from human blood
and tested it on mice with cancer. Ten mice were given salt water,
and ten were given angiostatin. All had large cancer growths, which
were removed. There was no recurrence in all ten with angiostatin
treatment, while all the other mice developed fresh cancers.
But will this cancer cure work in humans? The answer
is that we have no idea. The biology of mice is very different.
However we do know that cancer in humans has a similar characteristic,
where one growth seems often to prevent other growths developing.
It would seem likely therefore that there are very similar mechanisms
even if they operate in slightly different ways. All tumours have
to stimulate normal tissue to make thousands of new blood vessels
to supply the growth. Without this the tumour cannot enlarge. Any
drug which targets this process will at the very least slow cancer
growth.
Unfortunately laboratory tests are no substitute for
human trials. Expect the first clinical tests in the next few months.
Whenever there is a story like this, those for whom
time is running out rush to try anything, willing to take enormous
risks. There will be no shortage of volunteers. One could argue
that even without further animal tests for toxicity, those with
advanced cancer that wish to do so should be allowed, at their own
risk, to try endostatin and angiostatin. If results are as dramatic
as in mice, we will begin to see answers within weeks.
The likely outcome is that we will find these two
drugs are effective against some tumours at a particular stage in
the disease process. However, they may have terrible longer term
side effects and would need (probably) to be taken for life.
Latest gene research has helped us understand that
cancer is not a one-off accident to a single cell which divides
forever, but is often a body condition where large numbers of cells
become progressively unstable. These drugs are preventing new growths
in mice where the original is removed - as well, perhaps, as preventing
tiny offshoots of the original tumour from progressing. We will
see.
In the meantime, expect the share price of Entromed
Inc to settle back further after a sixfold jump to $51.81, with
further wobbles downwards as side effects and other problems emerge
in the next 24 months. In any event it will be several years before
the drugs could be widely approved because it will take that time
to be certain of longer term effects.
In summary then, encouraging news for those with advanced
cancer and those who care for them, but unlikely to provide a practical
treatment in the next two to three years. In the longer term, with
other advances in genetics and treatments like tamoxifen for women
at risk of breast cancer, the outlook for cancer cure is improving
all the time.
Human genetics
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