Dichloroacetate DCA is a synthetic halogenated organic acid which has been used in rare diseases like congenital lactic acidosis. It was observed that DCA would turn on natural apoptosis cell death in the cancerous cells of lab rats.
The occurrence of side effects such as neurotoxicity as well as the suspicion of DCA carcinogenicity still restricts the clinical use of DCA.
Dca cancer clinical trials. An extensive body of literature describes anticancer property of dichloroacetate DCA but its effective clinical administration in cancer therapy is still limited to clinical trials. The occurrence of side effects such as neurotoxicity as well as the suspicion of DCA carcinogenicity still restricts the clinical use of DCA. We are conducting a phase II trial with 2 parallel arms.
A patients with newly diagnosed malignant gliomas and b patients with recurrent gliomas or gliomas that have failed standard therapy which includes surgery radiotherapy and chemotherapy. All patients need to have a histological diagnosis. DCA will be given orally and patients will be followed for a minimum of 6 months.
Importantly recurrent malignant brain tumors shared characteristics may be usefully exploited by an emerging class of biologic agents called metabolic modulators of which Dichloroacetate DCA is the drug in the class most thoroughly investigated clinically. DCAs mechanism of action and tolerability have been extensively demonstrated in the treatment of chronic metabolic disorders. Furthermore the preciseness of DCAs mechanism of action appears to target abnormal tumor.
An extensive body of literature describes anticancer property of dichloroacetate DCA but its effective clinical administration in cancer therapy is still limited to clinical trials. DCA is different from other drugs that undergo clinical trials because it is not a new drug. It has already been used for decades in humans and has a relatively safe profile.
This means that the trials may take less time but may still take years. Many cancer patients cannot wait this length of time. We are hopeful that information obtained from our experiences with DCA will supplement clinical trials.
An extensive body of literature describes anticancer property of dichloroacetate DCA but its effective clinical administration in cancer therapy is still limited to clinical trials. The occurrence of side effects such as neurotoxicity as well as the suspicion of DCA carcinogenicity still restricts the clinical use of DCA. In 2010 the first clinical trial for DCA with human subjects was conducted.
People in this study had malignant brain tumors known as glioblastomas. Unfortunately there was no support forthcoming from pharmaceutical companies for clinical trials because DCA is a widely available chemical and cannot be patented. Nevertheless it had been in use for more than 30 years with a good safety record and there was a strong case for testing the drug in human cancer patients.
DCA is different from other drugs that undergo clinical trials because it is not a new drug. It has already been used for decades in humans and has a relatively safe profile. This means that the trials may take less time but may still take years.
Many cancer patients cannot wait this length of time. We are hopeful that information obtained from our experiences with DCA will supplement clinical trials and. In 2007 at the University of Alberta DCA a simple molecule was found to kill off cancer cells in breast brain and lung cancers in rats while not harming healthy cells.
It was observed that DCA would turn on natural apoptosis cell death in the cancerous cells of lab rats. It was also observed that DCA blocked the process by which glucose. At least two fundamental changes in tumor metabolism are induced by DCA that antagonize tumor growth metastases and survival.
The first is the redirection of glucose metabolism from glycolysis to oxidation reversal of the Warburg effect leading to inhibition of proliferation and induction of caspase-mediated apoptosis. Oral dichloroacetate sodium DCA is currently under investigation as a single agent and as an adjuvant for treatment of various cancers. One of the factors limiting its clinical use in a continuous oral regimen is a doserelated reversible neurotoxicity including peripheral neuropathy and encephalopathy.
Dichloroacetate DCA is a synthetic halogenated organic acid which has been used in rare diseases like congenital lactic acidosis. No controlled clinical trials of DCA are available. DCA is generally well tolerated.
Doses up to 625 mgkg body weight twice daily can. The actual clinical trials are being conducted in Alberta by a Dr. Ill post a couple of links for you but if you good his name youll get a lot of pages.
I was told that Phase 3 trials started last fall but dont know much more other than. Many cancer therapies benefit patients but their administration is limited to clinical trials. Dichloroacetate DCA is one such therapy that has anti-cancer properties supported by an extensive body of literature.
In this article we explore the pros and.