Betamethasone could improve outcomes of prostate cancer patients on radiation therapy
A new study published by University of Kentucky Markey Cancer Center researchers suggests that the common steroid betamethasone could be used to reduce unwanted side effects of radiation treatments for prostate cancer.
The research was published in the International Journal of Molecular Sciences June 8.
The lab study led by Luksana Chaiswing, Ph.D., assistant professor in the UK College of Medicine's Department of Toxicology and Cancer Biology, is the first to demonstrate that betamethasone protects normal prostate cells from injury induced by radiation therapy, while making the cancer cells more susceptible to the treatment.
Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of cancer deaths among men in the U.S. While radiation therapy is important to control the growth of prostate cancer, it presents a significant risk of increasing unwanted side effects, including injury to normal tissues.
"New therapies aimed at protecting against normal tissue injury while also increasing radiation therapy effectiveness are urgently needed," Chaiswing said. "The development of such approaches would have a major impact on prostate cancer control and the quality of life of patients."
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