April 15, 2007
AACR On Site Contact: Catherine Donnelly
 

BUFFALO, NY – The most active form of vitamin D - 1,25D₃  - may sensitize tumor cells to chemotherapy drugs, thereby providing a more potent therapeutic cancer treatment, according to a study to be presented by Yingyu Ma, MD, Department of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute (RPCI) at the 2007 centennial meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR), April 14-18, in Los Angeles, CA.

“1,25D₃ Potentiates the Cytotoxic Effects of Cisplatin through Up-regulation of p73 and Enhancement of Apoptosis in Squamous Cell Carcinoma Cells” Embargoed until Sunday, April 15, 8 am PST

            Exhibit Hall, Poster Section - 17; Poster Board -12

Los Angeles Convention Center

1,25D₃ has been shown to inhibit the growth of a variety of cancer cells, including colorectal, prostate, breast, ovarian and skin cancer. This study demonstrated that when squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) cells were exposed to 1,25D₃ for 24 hours prior to cisplatin, a widely used chemotherapy drug, the cells showed increased growth inhibition and enhanced cell death more often than when exposed to either agent alone. This research indicates that 1,25D₃ enhances cisplatin-induced growth inhibition in SCC cells possibly through augmenting the tumor suppressor p53 protein, p73, and programmed cell death. Therefore treatment with the most active form of vitamin D prior to chemotherapy may provide a synergistic and more potent therapy in cancer treatment.

Founded in 1907, the American Association for Cancer Research is the world’s oldest and largest professional organization dedicated to advancing cancer research. Members include more than 24,000 basic, translational and clinical researchers, health care professionals, and cancer survivors and advocates in the United States and more than 60 other countries.

Roswell Park Cancer Institute, founded in 1898, is the nation’s first cancer research, treatment and education center and is the only National Cancer Institute-designated comprehensive cancer center in Upstate New York. RPCI is a member of the prestigious National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of the nation’s leading cancer centers. Roswell Park has affiliate sites and collaborative programs in New York, Pennsylvania, and in China. For more information, visit RPCI’s website at www.roswellpark.org, call 1-877-ASK-RPCI (1-877-275-7724) or e-mail askrpci@roswellpark.org.

-30-