Daijiworld Media Network - Arizona

Arizona, Apr 20: A team of US scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery, revealing that a common pinworm medication could potentially halt and even reverse the growth of Merkel cell carcinoma, a rare and aggressive form of skin cancer. The study, led by researchers at the University of Arizona Cancer Center, was published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.

The researchers found that pyrvinium pamoate, a medication approved by the FDA in 1955 to treat pinworms, inhibited the growth of cancer cells and reversed the neuroendocrine features of Merkel cell carcinoma in laboratory models. Furthermore, in mouse models, the drug showed promise by significantly reducing tumor growth.

Merkel cell carcinoma, which is more likely to be fatal than melanoma, has limited response rates to current treatments such as surgery, radiation, and immunotherapy. The need for more effective and widely applicable therapeutics has become increasingly urgent as the incidence of this rare cancer rises.

Senior author Megha Padi, an assistant professor at the University of Arizona, noted that although Merkel cell carcinoma is rare, it shares many characteristics with other cancers, making it a promising candidate for novel therapies.

Pyrvinium pamoate has previously shown antitumor potential in various cancers, including breast, colorectal, pancreatic, and bladder cancers. This study is the first to explore its effects on Merkel cell carcinoma.

The team hypothesizes that antiparasitic drugs like pyrvinium pamoate might work against cancer due to the similarities between tumors and parasites. Both tumors and parasites hijack the body’s resources to grow and multiply, which may explain why antiparasitic medications could prove effective against certain cancer types.

This promising discovery could pave the way for new treatment options for Merkel cell carcinoma and possibly other cancers.