Tolfenamic acid appears to reduce esophageal tumors

Jul 4 2012

A new study by researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center Orlando finds that Tolfenamic acid (TA), a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), commonly used to relieve pain, inflammation and migraines has now been found to reduce esophageal tumors.

The study, led by Pius Maliakal, PhD and Riyaz Basha, PhD, researchers at MD Anderson Orlando's Cancer Research Institute, found that Tolfenamic acid prevented tumor growth and lessened the size of esophageal tumors in a rat model. Tolfenamic acid has been found to decrease certain proteins that are critical for cancer cell growth and the progression of esophageal tumors.

MD Anderson Orlando researchers are at the forefront of Tolfenamic acid research. It was this same research team that found that Tolfenamic acid inhibits tumor growth in pancreatic cancer. MD Anderson Orlando is poised to begin a new Phase I Clinical Trial for pancreatic cancer patients using Tolfenamic acid in a few months.

Further research will be required before Tolfenamic acid can be used as a safe and effective drug for esophageal cancer prevention. At present, this drug is an approved anti-inflammatory agent in Europe, South America and Asia, but is not yet approved for use in the United States.