Now there is this interesting story which you must know. This is the time of the year that poachers in Goa carrying torches and bags, venture into the open to hunt for frogs for their meaty hind legs. The Indian bullfrog has been renamed as jumping chicken in Goa . But the forest department has warned eating frogs could cause cancers, paralytic strokes, kidney failure and other deformities.
Moving on to our topic, a drug used to treat osteoporosis has shown to stop the growth of breast cancer, even the resistant ones. The name of the drug is bazedoxifene and this drug has been approved by the European Union. Before I start to talk, let me tell you what is meant by estrogen and estrogen receptor.
Dr. Ananya Mandal explains that estrogens are steroid compounds that are important for the development and functioning of the female species. They are primarily produced by ovaries. Estrogen receptors are a group of proteins which are inside cells. They are activated by estrogen hormone.
Hope you are clear with the above. Bazedoxifene our wonder drug prevents estrogen from fuelling breast cancer cell growth. And at the same time it also gets rid off the estrogen receptor. Due to this action the cancer cell does not develop resistance. In case of bone tissues this wonder drug copies the action of estrogen and helps it to protect from destruction.
To conclude, bazedoxifene has passed the safety tests and is already used for the treatment of osteoporosis. According to the researchers, this may become a best option for those suffering with advanced breast cancer tumors that have become resistant to other treatment options.
Take care,
Swarnam
Photo by Boians Cho Joo Young
Photo courtesy of www.freedigitalphotos.net
Take care,
Swarnam
Swarnam
