Best known as Viagra, the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil started off as a treatment for reduced blood flow but soon saw its value spike after its other effects became clear.
The blue pill could have more uses, according to research by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Tel Aviv. The team found indications that it curbs cancer metastasis via a ‘newly discovered biological mechanism’ drawing upon the drug’s blood dilatation effects.
Sildenafil curbs the capacity of cancer cells to make use of cholesterol, which the team describes as ‘an essential component of cellular membranes’.
‘Cholesterol is particularly important for cancer cells seeking to break away from the primary tumour, migrate throughout the body and invade distant organs,’ the researchers point out. They say if access to cholesterol is limited, the cells in turn ‘have a harder time forming metastases’.
Viagra’s potential to limit cancer spread could be boosted by using it alongside statins, a widely taken medication that limits cholesterol production.
In a paper published in the journal Cancer Research, the team says an analysis of digital health records pointed to ‘significantly improved survival among sildenafil users, with a dose-dependent additive benefit observed when combined with statins’.
‘The combination could not only limit cancer cells’ access to existing cholesterol but also prevent them from producing new cholesterol, potentially enhancing the anti-metastatic effect,’ the Weizmann Institute says.
According to Weizmann’s Ayelet Erez, the research is a reminder that cancer ‘is shaped not only by mutations in tumour cells but also by the patient’s metabolic state and by medications they are already taking for other conditions’.