Pinworm Drug Shows Promise in Treating Aggressive Skin Cancer: Researchers

Synopsis

Researchers at the University of Arizona Cancer Center have found that a pinworm medication could potentially stop and reverse the growth of Merkel cell carcinoma, an aggressive skin cancer. This drug may offer new hope in treating this rare but lethal cancer, which currently has limited effective treatment options.

Key Takeaways

Pyrvinium pamoate may inhibit growth of Merkel cell carcinoma.
Current therapies for this cancer are limited.
The drug has shown promise in various cancers.
Research highlights the need for effective treatments.
Potential parallels between tumors and parasites could explain efficacy.

New York, April 20 (NationPress) A team of US scientists has discovered that a common pinworm medication may halt and even reverse cancer progression in Merkel cell carcinoma, a highly aggressive type of skin cancer.

The study, spearheaded by the University of Arizona Cancer Center and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, revealed that in laboratory models of Merkel cell carcinoma, pyrvinium pamoate was effective in inhibiting cancer cell growth and reversing the cancer's neuroendocrine characteristics.

In experiments with mouse models of Merkel cell carcinoma, pyrvinium pamoate significantly reduced tumor growth.

Merkel cell carcinoma is a rare but rapidly progressing neuroendocrine cancer that is three to five times more lethal than melanoma. Current treatment options—surgery, radiation, and immunotherapy—have limited effectiveness, highlighting the urgent need for more efficient and broadly applicable therapies.

“Merkel cell carcinoma is becoming more common. Despite being rare, it shares many properties with other cancer types,” stated senior author Megha Padi, an assistant professor at the university.

Pyrvinium pamoate, which received FDA approval in 1955 for treating pinworms, has demonstrated antitumor potential across various cancers, including breast, colorectal, pancreatic, and bladder cancers. This marks the first investigation of its effects on Merkel cell carcinoma.

Padi and the research team observed that in laboratory settings, pyrvinium pamoate inhibited cancer cell growth and reversed neuroendocrine features. Additionally, in mouse models of Merkel cell carcinoma, it effectively reduced tumor size.

“This is a hypothesis, but some researchers believe that the reason an antiparasitic drug could be useful against cancers is that tumors behave somewhat like parasites in our bodies,” Padi explained. “Both parasites and tumors must exploit limited resources in their host to survive and proliferate. If the mechanisms they use to sustain themselves are similar, you might find a tumor type that is susceptible to these antiparasitic medications.”