Nikhil Prasad Fact checked by:Thailand Medical News Team Feb 14, 2025 1 day, 2 hours, 11 minutes ago
Medical News: Anaplastic thyroid carcinoma (ATC) is one of the most aggressive and deadly types of thyroid cancer. It progresses rapidly, has a poor prognosis, and is resistant to most conventional treatments. Patients diagnosed with ATC often face a grim reality, with survival rates as low as a few months after diagnosis. The need for effective therapies is urgent. Researchers from Zhejiang Provincial People’s Hospital, Zhejiang University of Technology, Zhejiang Provincial Clinical Research Center for Head & Neck Cancer, and Hangzhou Medical College have been exploring new ways to combat this devastating disease. Their latest findings suggest that Brusatol, a natural compound derived from the seeds of Brucea javanica, may offer a new therapeutic strategy.
Brusatol Shows Potential in Treating Aggressive Thyroid Cancer
This
Medical News report reveals that Brusatol has shown strong anti-tumor effects in both laboratory and animal studies, particularly through its ability to block a key cancer-promoting pathway known as JAK1/STAT3. This discovery brings hope for potential new treatments for patients suffering from ATC.
How Brusatol Works Against ATC Cells
Brusatol is a bioactive compound that has been studied for its ability to suppress cancer growth in various types of tumors. In the recent study, researchers tested its effects on ATC cells and found that it significantly inhibited their growth and survival. The study involved laboratory tests on cancer cell cultures and animal models to evaluate how well Brusatol could slow down tumor progression.
The key findings of the research showed that:
-Brusatol effectively reduced the viability of ATC cells, meaning it made it harder for cancer cells to survive and multiply.
-The compound induced apoptosis, a process that triggers programmed cell death in cancer cells.
-It suppressed the ability of ATC cells to migrate and invade other tissues, reducing the risk of cancer spreading.
-Brusatol was found to block the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway, which is known to play a significant role in the growth and spread of ATC.
Promising Results in Animal Studies
To further evaluate its effectiveness, the researchers tested Brusatol in mice implanted with ATC tumors. The results were promising:
-Mice treated with Brusatol showed a significant reduction in tumor size compared to those that did not receive the treatment.
-There were no significant signs of toxicity, suggesting that Brusatol might be a safe option for further development.
-Increasing the dosage of Brusatol further reduced tumor growth, although excessively high doses caused toxic side effects.
These findings indicate that Brusatol has the potential to become part of a treatment plan for ATC. However, since high doses can be toxic, the researchers looked into combining it with another drug
to enhance its effectiveness while reducing the risk of side effects.
Brusatol Works Even Better with Ruxolitinib
Ruxolitinib, a drug that inhibits JAK1 and JAK2, has been used in cancer therapy, including for other aggressive cancers. The study found that combining Brusatol with Ruxolitinib produced even stronger anti-cancer effects than using either drug alone.
The combination of Brusatol and Ruxolitinib:
-More effectively inhibited the growth and survival of ATC cells in laboratory tests.
-Suppressed the JAK1/STAT3 pathway more efficiently than Brusatol alone.
-Showed significant tumor reduction in animal models without severe toxic effects.
-Increased the rate of cancer cell apoptosis, leading to a higher number of cancer cells dying off.
These results suggest that a combination therapy using Brusatol and Ruxolitinib could be a promising strategy for treating ATC, offering a new hope for patients battling this aggressive disease.
The Future of Brusatol in ATC Treatment
While the findings are encouraging, more research is needed before Brusatol can be used in clinical settings. Scientists need to conduct further studies to confirm its effectiveness and safety in human trials. Questions remain about the best dosages, possible side effects, and how well Brusatol can work in combination with other existing therapies.
However, the results so far highlight Brusatol’s potential to be developed into an effective cancer-fighting drug. By targeting the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway, it offers a new approach to slowing down ATC progression. With additional research and clinical trials, this natural compound could one day become an important part of ATC treatment options.
Conclusion
Brusatol has demonstrated significant anti-tumor properties against anaplastic thyroid carcinoma by inhibiting cancer cell growth, promoting apoptosis, and blocking the JAK1/STAT3 signaling pathway. The combination of Brusatol with Ruxolitinib further enhances these effects, providing a new potential treatment approach. While these findings are promising, more research is needed to establish its safety and effectiveness in humans. If proven successful, Brusatol could offer a much-needed breakthrough in the fight against one of the deadliest forms of thyroid cancer.
The study findings were published on a preprint server and are currently being peer reviewed.
https://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=5130695
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