When it comes to cancer treatment, we’ve heard of the terms chemotherapy and radiotherapy. With Dr. Michelakis’ recent discovery though, we might be seeing a new anti-cancer drug in the form of Dichloroacetate (DCA) very soon.
DCA is not actually a new discovery. The small odorless and tasteless micro-molecule is already a treatment option for patients with mitochondria problems, especially in children with associated metabolic disorders. What is of relevance to cancer treatment though, is that DCA repairs damaged mitochondria in cancer cells, which in turn seems to regress cancer growth and suppress proliferating mechanisms common to malignant cancer cells.
The newfound association between cancer development and mitochondria restoration is based on the activation and suppression of an innate cellular mechanism known as apoptosis. In simple terms, every cell has an innate ability to commit “suicide” in response to irreparable cellular damage, as a method to protect other cells from getting affected. In cancer cells, this mitochondrial-dependant process is actually suppressed due to mitochondrial damage, therefore allowing cancer cells to become immortal and continue proliferation.
Administration of DCA fixes the problem by restoring mitochondrial activity, thus allowing apoptosis to occur and consequently getting affected cancer cells to self-destruct. The best part of DCA is not yet even mentioned, which is its relative non-toxicity. Reinforced with actual test results from both test-tube and animal experimental models, DCA has so far proven to be a safe drug with few, if any, side effects.
Dr Michelakis’ efforts have been of tremendous interest and concern to the government and public so far, as DCA is probably one of the closest thing, if ever, to a “magic cure” for cancer. Aside from being safe, it is also inexpensive as there is no patent on the drug.
If it’s so good, why haven’t we read about it in the newspapers? Because the drug was inexpensive and unpatented actually led to some apathy from major pharmaceutical companies. Nobody wants to fund a project that doesn’t make money, and that likely explains why DCA has gone under the public’s radar for some time. The good news is that government funding and increasing social awareness of Dr Michelakis’ research has better brought this amazing medical discovery to our noses.
We might just see some major changes in cancer treatment very quickly. Let’s keep our fingers crossed on this one.
See the original article here:
http://www.dca.med.ualberta.ca/Home/Updates/2007-03-15_Update.cfm
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