Copper Plus Disulfiram May Be Effective For Men with Progressive Prostate Cancer

the Cancer Therapy Advisor take:

According to a new study published in the journal Cancer Research, researchers at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina, have found a new way to kill prostate cancer cells by administering copper and a drug that kills copper-containing cells.

Researchers have known that cancer cells, particularly those of prostate cancer, have a tendency to uptake copper. First, the researchers tried to deplete copper from the cells, thereby killing them, but that approach proved unsuccessful. Then, the researchers administered copper supplements along with disulfiram, an old drug that had been commonly used to treat alcohol misuse.

The combination resulted in significant decreases in prostate cancer growth in animal models with advanced disease. Furthermore, the researchers found that androgens, male steroid hormones that drive prostate cancer, increased copper accumulation in the tumor cells. This finding could suggest that the combination of disulfiram and copper may be particularly helpful for patients who have failed on hormone therapies.

The researchers hope to begin clinical trials of the copper-disulfiram combination in upcoming months to study the treatment in men with progressive prostate cancer.