A study conducted by scientists from the United States and Israel found that Viagra, a drug used to treat erectile dysfunction, may help prevent the metastasis of cancer cells in patients with oncological diseases.
The findings open a new avenue in cancer research. According to the study’s authors, sildenafil can influence cholesterol transport within cancer cells, limiting their ability to invade and spread to other organs.
Researchers suggest that the drug may eventually serve as an adjunct therapy for certain patient groups. However, they stress that these results need to be confirmed through further clinical trials.
Metastasis is the most lethal aspect of cancer. Cancer cells detach from the primary tumor and spread to other parts of the body via the bloodstream or lymphatic system. Once they reach other organs, they can form new tumors, significantly complicating treatment.
During the study, scientists discovered that sildenafil — the active ingredient in Viagra — can disrupt the mechanisms that tumor cells rely on for spreading. The drug inhibits the enzyme PDE5A and increases levels of cGMP (cyclic guanosine monophosphate), a signaling molecule involved in cellular processes.
According to the researchers, the rise in cGMP levels affects cholesterol transport from lysosomes — cellular organelles responsible for intracellular digestion. Consequently, cholesterol accumulates in lysosomes and becomes less available to the plasma membrane and mitochondria, potentially limiting the ability of cancer cells to migrate and invade.
The authors also noted that in experiments, cancer cells were more sensitive to this mechanism than healthy cells.
Need for Clinical Trials
Erez emphasized that before this approach can be applied, clinical trials involving women with triple-negative breast cancer are essential.
The study also analyzed data from over 40,000 patients in the United States and Israel. Its findings indicated that the use of Viagra was associated with higher survival rates among patients with breast, lung, and colon cancer.
An even more pronounced effect was observed in cases where sildenafil was used alongside statins — drugs that lower cholesterol levels. In these patients, the risk of death within five years of diagnosis was 31% lower. However, the authors stress that this association requires confirmation through randomized clinical trials.
Potential for Drug Repurposing
The authors highlight that the study is observational and clinical-experimental in nature. Despite this, its results could lay the groundwork for further exploration of repurposing existing drugs as potential adjunct therapies in the battle against metastasis.
Another advantage is that Viagra has been used in medical practice for a long time and has a well-established safety profile. At the same time, the study’s authors suggest that disrupting lipid metabolism in tumor cells may increase their sensitivity to traditional treatment methods. However, they emphasize that such conclusions require validation in large-scale clinical trials before this approach can be integrated into standard therapy.
“Our main message is that when considering the treatment of cancer patients, we should focus not only on the disease and its mutations but on the patient as a whole — taking into account their nutrition, genetics, microbiome, physical activity, and medications, as all these factors can affect the outcomes,” the study’s authors noted.
Source: Folha de S.Paulo
