Common antidepressants ‘unexpectedly effective’ against aggressive brain tumors

Brain cancer is one of the most feared types of cancer, as it is a fast-growing brain tumor that kills half of its victims within a year.

Swiss scientists have found that a drug known as vortioxetine, which is usually prescribed to adults with severe depression, is “unexpectedly effective” in treating the most common and aggressive brain tumors.

According to scientists from the University Hospital Zurich, the drug promises to treat the aggressive disease known as glioblastoma, which currently has an average survival of only 12-18 months.

Only 25 percent of glioblastoma patients survive more than a year, and that figure drops to 5 percent after five years. The scientists added that further tests in mice showed that vortioxetine has “good efficacy,” especially when used in combination with standard treatments such as surgery, chemotherapy and radiation.

“The advantage of vortioxetine is that it is safe and very cost-effective. Because the drug is already approved, it does not have to go through a complex approval procedure and could soon complement the standard treatment for this deadly brain tumor,” said Michael Weller, professor at the University Hospital Zurich and director of the Department of Neurology.

Effective drugs against brain tumors are difficult to find, as many cancer drugs cannot cross a membrane that blocks toxins, known as the blood-brain barrier, to reach the brain.

Scientists have tested hundreds of other existing drugs that can cross this barrier, such as antidepressants and Parkinson’s medications.

Scientists said that the drug “vortioxetine” proved to be the most effective among all the antidepressants tested.

The team is looking to recruit patients as part of a clinical trial where they will be given vortioxetine alongside a placebo.

However, scientists advise patients not to try the drug on their own without medical supervision.

“We don’t yet know if the drug works in humans and what dose is needed to combat the tumour, which is why clinical trials are needed,” said Professor Weller. “Self-medication would be an incalculable risk.”

Commenting on the study, Dr Simon Newman, chief scientific officer at the Brain Tumour Charity, said: “Any scientific advances that bring us closer to new treatments for brain tumours are promising, as treatments have not changed for decades. We desperately need gentler and more effective treatments for people facing a glioblastoma diagnosis, so using new techniques and repurposing existing drugs could help achieve this.”

“Finding drugs that cross the blood-brain barrier is a particular challenge, so using drugs that we already know can do this is an exciting prospect,” he added. “Translating these early results to patients most in need is the next step, and we look forward to continuing future studies with vortioxetine.”

Source: Independent