Viagra's active ingredient shows potential to block cancer metastasis
Researchers at Israel's Weizmann Institute of Science found that sildenafil, the compound in Viagra, can hinder the spread of cancer cells. By inhibiting the enzyme PDE5, sildenafil raises cellular cGMP levels, which in turn binds to a protein that transports cholesterol inside cells. The resulting reduction in cholesterol transport limits the ability of cancer cells to migrate and form new tumors.
Laboratory experiments with mouse and human cancer cells demonstrated slower cholesterol transport and reduced metastasis after sildenafil treatment. An analysis of nearly five million patients from Israel’s Clalit Health Services showed that cancer patients who took sildenafil, especially in combination with statins, had better survival rates than comparable patients who did not. The authors stress that these findings are preliminary; further pre‑clinical studies and clinical trials are required before sildenafil could be repurposed as a cancer therapy, and it should not be used off‑label without medical supervision.
Entities: Ayelet Erez · Clalit Health Services · Sildenafil (Viagra) · Statins · Weizmann Institute of Science
Claims
What the coverage asserts, and how well corroborated each claim is across sources.
- [● 2 SOURCES] Analysis of nearly five million Clalit Health Services patients found cancer patients taking sildenafil survived longer than similar patients not taking it. (Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Reduced cholesterol transport impairs cancer cells' ability to metastasize. (Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Sildenafil inhibits the enzyme PDE5, raising cellular cGMP levels. (Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science)
- [● 3 SOURCES] The study was conducted by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. (Weizmann Institute of Science)
- [○ 1 SOURCE] Combining sildenafil with statins may produce a stronger anti‑metastatic effect. (Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Laboratory experiments with mouse and human cancer cells showed sildenafil reduced cholesterol transport and metastasis. (Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science)
- [● 3 SOURCES] Further pre‑clinical studies and clinical trials are required before sildenafil can be used as a cancer therapy. (Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science)
- [● 2 SOURCES] Increased cGMP binds to a protein that transports cholesterol, reducing cholesterol transport inside cells. (Researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science)