Lovastatin has long been used by physicians to treat high cholesterol. When the cholesterol drug first came on the market in 1980, it was quickly recognized that lovastatin also kills cancer cells in laboratory cultures. But until very recently, scientists thought that humans could not endure the dose of the drug needed to affect tumors significantly. Now, lovastatin is being used in a new cancer treatment that is showing real promise. When low-dose interferon is administered with lovastatin, reports Dr. Stephen Cantrell, NeoPlas Innovation Director of Research in Nashville, physicians have seen tumors regress or even disappear. The therapy has been used successfully for melanoma patients. It is expected that the drug combination will also benefit patients suffering from kidney cancer, pancreatic cancer, colon cancer, and mesothelioma, a cancer associated with exposure to asbestos.
For the full story, go to Market Watch.
