Cancer medicine is always being made in the hope of finding a definitive cure for cancer. Some cancer medicine has some unintended uses as well though. A cancer medicine regenerates heart tissue, as a study show.
A cancer medicine being developed has shown effects in other areas as well. Damaged heart muscle has been shown to be repaired by this new cancer medicine. It has also been shown that the medicine being developed could help in congestive heart failure.
One disadvantage of the heart is that it cannot repair itself, unlike other parts of the body. Damage caused by heart attack would lead to scarring on the heart, which could weaken it. This weakening in turn can lead to heart failure in time. A cancer medicine that is being developed by Dr. Lawrence Lum has shown promise not only for cancer, but also in repairing the heart.
Dr. Lum is an associate professor for Cell Biology at UT Southwestern Medical Center. The cancer medicine he has been working on targets Wnt signaling molecules. The molecules are said to be important in regenerating tissues. It is also contributes in cancer though.
By inhibiting Wnt production, it has been found that the medicine has been able to increase the rate of heart tissue regeneration. The study has tested the medicine on mice that have been induced into heart attack. The medicine has been observed to have increased heart muscle cells, which helped the heart heal faster.
The medicine has also been observed to have reduced scarring of heart tissue after a heart attack, according to the UT Southwestern Medical Center's site. This is important, as heart tissue scarring can lead to heart failure later on.
The medicine could also be administered for only a short time, as Science Daily reports. Much of the side effects of cancer medicine can then be avoided. Some of the side effects noted on the medicine include adverse effects on bone and hair, which is quite common in many cancer medicine treatments.
Dr. Lum has said that the cancer medicine would be used for clinical testing for heart disease next year. That could be hope for people who have suffered a heart attack. A cancer medicine that regenerates heart tissue has been made. Skipping breakfast has been shown to increase heart disease risk.
