Drug used to treat high blood pressure in lungs improves lung damage in former smokers

University of Colorado Cancer Center ^ | 8/2/2009 | Lynn Gorham

[GILTN1stborn]

Iloprost, a drug used regularly to treat high blood pressure in the lungs, significantly improves lung damage in former smokers.

The researchers examined lung biopsies of 152 people who had smoked at least 20 pack-years—equivalent to 1-pack a day for 20 years—before & after 6 months of treatment w/either oral iloprost or placebo.

None of the 82 current smokers in trial saw significant improvement in the signs of lung disease, but FORMER SMOKERS treated with iloprost showed SIGNIFCANT improvement.

“These results are exciting because they show we can actually keep former smokers from developing lung cancer with a drug used routinely for other problems,” said the study’s principal investigator, Dr. Robert Keith.

Iloprost is commonly used to treat high blood pressure in the lungs, called pulmonary hypertension. It is similar to a body chemical called prostacyclin which widens blood vessels to lessen blood pressure.

The project started at the University of Colorado Cancer Center Lung Cancer Specialized Program of Research Excellence. In 1997, while doing animal work with prostacyclin in pulmonary hypertension, Keith and his UCCC research collaborators realized that the mice did not develop lung cancer.

“We then looked at tumor tissue and learned that if you have the enzyme that makes prostacyclin and have lung cancer, you live longer,” Keith said. “We have also learned that prostacyclin helps prevent tumors from creating new blood vessels and prevents cells from dividing abnormally. We tested iloprost in animal models, and after showing that animals were protected from developing cancer, we moved the drug into human trials.”

Keith said the next step is to test the drug in a bigger, Phase III study, to determine exactly who will benefit most from taking the drug.

[GILTN1stborn]

I heard about this on local radio station this morning and researched info immediately. I did not see it posted previously and apologize if it is a repeat. I have big interest in this subject matter. My husband, Captain Cynic, was recently diagonsed with NSCLC. Thanks to help of fellow FRiends, we have found what we think is the best treatment available. I continue to explore......

[GILTN1stborn]

Ping

[ConservativeMind]

Very good catch on this.

Doctors could prescribe this drug already for this very condition in place of other BP medications, I would assume.

[RnMomof7]

Thank you, as a former smoker with COPD this is good news

[hennie pennie]

What is the best way to learn about the clinical trials for the new use for this drug? To find out WHERE they are accepting volunteers?

This sounds very exciting.

One question, however -- how come most ex-smokers mention that their lungs feel SO much better after quitting smoking, and that they can breathe better & deeper, and exercise longer???

Do some ex-smokers NOT have the damage described in the article, and if so, WHY???

[Army Air Corps]

Interesting.

[31R1O]

ping

[Coldwater Creek]

I have Pulmonary Fibrosis, which smokers almost never get.

[GILTN1stborn]

From what I could see, pulmonary hypertension, is not something that is treated the same as other causes of high blood pressure, if it is diagnosed. I also get impression this drug is fairly new and they do not know why it works. I wonder how under-diagnosed this disorder is. I think most of the time when someone has high blood pressure, rather than take any steps at all to see what the underlying cause is, they just throw a pill at you. It sure does look like a promising treatment for lung cancer, COPD catch all, and some other serious things. It is something I am going to follow. Need to look into when phase III studies will be started and where. They will probably mess around doing studies for another 5 or 10 years or someone will realize there is not big money to be made and it will fade away.

[cajungirl]

This is exciting. It sounds like Avastin and some of the anti angiogenic drugs that interfere with the vascularity of tumors. Something to watch here.

[hennie pennie]

IF you’re interested, here is a fascinating article about a common blood pressure medicine that reverses damage found in EX-smokers’ lungs.

[GILTN1stborn]

More info on approval of this drug. Might be something to ask about if you are being treated for COPD. No one ever really told my husband he had COPD until the lung cancer was diagnosed.
http://www.pulmonaryreviews.com/aug05/IloprostPAH.html

[Gosh I love this neighborhood]

bttt