Highly invasive tumor hijacks neurons to grow, but a common heart medication offers hope (Amlodipine inhibits craniopharyngioma)

Medical Xpress / Chinese Academy of Sciences / Science Translational Medicine ^ | Dec. 18, 2024 | Si Li et al

[ConservativeMind]

Chinese researchers have revealed new insights into the growth of craniopharyngioma and identified a potential therapeutic treatment.

Craniopharyngioma, a benign yet highly invasive tumor occurring along the hypothalamus-pituitary axis, presents a unique clinical challenge. Although nonmalignant, its proximity to critical brain structures often leads to severe endocrine and metabolic complications.

The tumor can invade the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, resulting in endocrine dysfunction and metabolic disorders such as obesity, diabetes mellitus, hypothyroidism, diabetes insipidus. In severe cases, it can cause life-threatening conditions.

Currently, surgical resection remains the primary treatment option; however, this approach carries high risks, including the risk of recurrence and significant postoperative complications.

To tackle these challenges, a team adopted a multi-pronged approach to explore craniopharyngioma growth and also identified a promising treatment option.

Using their animal models, the researchers established craniopharyngioma cell lines and screened over 3,000 compounds for their potential antitumor effects. Among the 74 top hits, one stood out: amlodipine besylate, a calcium channel blocker commonly prescribed for hypertension. Surprisingly, this routine medication showed potent antitumor effects in preclinical animal models.

Amlodipine's established safety profile and widespread use as a cardiovascular drug make it a prime candidate for repurposing. Its efficacy lies in its ability to inhibit calcium signaling pathways in tumor cells. By blocking calcium transients, amlodipine effectively disrupts the chemical synaptic transmission between hypothalamic neurons and tumor cells.

[ConservativeMind]

Amlodipine appears to inhibit craniopharyngioma. Amlodipine is a common calcium channel blocker used for high blood pressure, and is quite inexpensive.

[Larry Lucido]

Amlodipine inhibits craniopharyngioma

Well, yeah.

[Rockingham]

Mercifully, craniopharyngiomas are relatively rare. Some years ago, I had a common type of pituitary tumor, a non-functioning benign adenoma removed through transsphenoidal resection. Craniopharyngiomas seem to be a more nasty and tenacious beast.

[Biblebelter]

is quite inexpensive.

I take amlodipine.

I just filled prescriptions for amlodipine, clopidrogel, metroprolol, and losartan.

For those four 90 day prescription the total came to less than five dollars with medicare and my medicare supplementary insurance.

[Delta 21]

Yoos’ guys just like using big tongue-twisting words to make all the rest of us look confused and inept.

[caver]

I am taking amlodipine and it is causing edema in my legs and feet. I have put on 8-10 pounds of water weight. The water pills I take only make things worse. I have to get up four times each night to pee.

[ConservativeMind]

Do you take an ACE-I, as well, or an ARB?

[BobL]

One GOOD THING about having high blood pressure - you can kill two birds with that drug, which is very cheap!

[caver]

I take Valsartan(Diovan), 320 mg for the last several weeks. It is already doing better than the lisinopril I was taking.

[ConservativeMind]

You did the right thing.

ARBs don't have the issue ACE-Is do with fluid build up.

I think I read over 60% of people get the fluid build up. CCBs can still do that, though.

[caver]

That is good to hear. I am hoping the doctor takes me off of the amlodipine.

I already had to tell my doctor that I was not going to take a statin. I have heard nothing good about statins. I read that statins can cause ALS. I watched my mother die from ALS about 16 years ago. I am taking 4000 mg of fish oil a day instead of the statin.