Posted on 08/07/2023 11:56:18 AM PDT by ConservativeMind
Warfarin, a widely used blood thinner, appears to have potent anti-cancer properties, according to a study.
"Our findings suggest that warfarin, which is already approved by the FDA, could be repurposed to treat a variety of cancers, including pancreatic cancer," says Wei Gu, Ph.D.
Cancer researchers are excited by the idea of harnessing ferroptosis—so-named because it requires iron to work—to kill cancer cells. Drugs that induce ferroptosis may be particularly useful for cancers that elude current treatments.
Gu, Stockwell, and their colleagues performed genetic screens on human melanoma cells to identify genes that contribute to ferroptosis. As expected, the screens identified several previously known ferroptosis genes, but a new one stood out: VKORC1L1.
In laboratory experiments, the researchers found that VKORC1L1 is a potent inhibitor of ferroptosis, and loss of VKORC1L1 sensitizes cells to ferroptotic cell death.
VKORC1L1 levels also have clinical consequences, an analysis of human cancer data then revealed: Patients with low levels of VKORC1L1 activity generally lived longer than patients with higher levels.
Warfarin is also a known VKORC1L1 inhibitor, so the researchers explored its potential as a cancer drug. They found that warfarin, by reducing VKORC1L1 activity, sensitized human pancreatic cancer cells to ferroptosis and strongly repressed tumor growth in a mouse model of pancreatic cancer.
Data from other studies also support the idea that warfarin has potential against cancer. Warfarin and other anticoagulants are commonly given to cancer patients, who are at increased risk for blood clots. Recently, investigators have noticed that pancreatic, gastric, and colorectal cancer patients who received warfarin survived significantly longer than those taking other anticoagulants.
That may extend beyond to many other types, Gu adds. The researchers also found that VKORC1L1 is a direct target of p53, a well-known tumor suppressor gene that is mutated in more half of all cancers.
(Excerpt) Read more at medicalxpress.com ...
Well, it kills rats...................
Interesting!
Pancreatic cancer runs in my family. Mine quit working 25 years ago.
It kinda works differently for rodents.
Good news...
Warfarin seems to have its own ‘Black Box’ list or warnings, does it not?
Killed a relative of mine being treated for bladder cancer. It was all downhill after being put on it.
I was on it when I had my Quad By-pass in 2020.
They had to do blood tests twice a day.
At the end I felt like a pincushion
My father in law, survivor of two open heart procedures, was on warfarin in his later years. One time while visiting for Christmas, he cut his scrotum with his fingernail and I thought we were going to have to take him to the Hospital. There was water involved, which doesn’t help, but I’d guess close to a pint loss. Three towels and the floor mat looked like a crime scene. Grammy finally announced a dry cotton ball was applied and it sealed off.
It's all in the dosage.
I am on Warfarin for life due to Factor 5 Leiden. Keeps my blood from clotting and almost killing me 3 times already.
Basically, it kills rodents due to the dosage. They get a massive dose, which then kills them. Humans get a therapeutic dose that keeps your blood “thinned” to a specific point.
They keep trying to get me on one of the new wonder drugs to replace Warfarin, but they seem to have some significant side effects so I'll just stick with what seems to work.
I had a heart racing issue in February 169 beats a minute from sleep. No stopping, not out of rythmn, just fast and my blood pressure stayed solidly in normal range. They got it to slow down, ran tests and found no blockages or issues on the stress test but they put a different fluid pill, lasik, Metoprolol Tartrate and Xarelto blood thinner and I hate the stuff.
I haven’t had any issues since with heart racing and have been lobbying the doctor to take me off the blood thinner and heart medication. I am having more issues with that crap than anything. I was on blood pressure meds for decades and it was under control and had little to no swelling in feet and ankles. Since they put me on the Meto and Xarelto my feet are constantly swollen and I live in the bathroom now. My quality of life has gone down significantly with these new meds.
I go back in September to the cardiologist and will once again plead my case to take me off the heart meds and blood thinner.
Forgot the sarcasm tag. There have been cases of death due to water consumption (not drowning). There’s an old expression...if it works don’t fix it.
“Warfarin seems to have its own ‘Black Box’ list or warnings, does it not?”
Cayman MSDS:
https://cdn.caymanchem.com/cdn/msds/13566m.pdf
Warfarin is not as highly used as years past. Many docs have switched their patients to Apixaban, sold under the brand name Eliquis.
wy69
Been using warfarin since 1990 when I had an Omniscience mitral heart valve implanted.
In 2006 I had a stent in a heart artery and my warfarin rate was increased to 7.5 mg a day. I now bounce between 5-9 mg a day depending what the INR tests show.
No problems with excess bleeding but I do get my blood checked each week and no longer juggle running chainsaws as a hobby. I do bruise very easily so can’t shoot heavy recoil rifles anymore.
***its own ‘Black Box’ list or warnings,***
I am not allowed to eat green vegetables! As it has vitamin K which causes the blood to thicken.
I was switched from Warfarin to Eliquis. Before I took any I noticed that it said it was NOT for people with artificial heart valves. Back to warfarin.
Thankfully I had extra warfarin till my new prescription arrived.
Interesting. Unless bladder cancer has metastasized, bladder cancer is often very treatable. If stage 4, that canchange everything depending on the other affected organs.
Everyone I know who is on blood thinners is on Eliquis, including me. So far I have not noticed any side effects.
“Before I took any I noticed that it said it was NOT for people with artificial heart valves. Back to warfarin.”
This was determined during a test concerning a particular heart valve. The PROACT Xa trial has been halted prematurely after it was found that apixaban (Eliquis; Bristol Myers Squibb) carried a greater risk of blood clots leading to stroke when compared with warfarin in patients with the On-X mechanical aortic valve, device maker Artivion announced.
The trial’s data and safety monitoring board (DSMB) recommended the stoppage “due to lack of evidence supporting noninferiority of apixaban to warfarin for valve thrombosis and thromboembolism,” the company said.
I have not seen anything about other valves or their interaction with either apixaban or warfarin. I am in advanced stage heart failure and they have me on apixaban instead of warfarin.
wy69
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