Improved cancer survival with use of common antihistamines. Epidemiological studies on the use of H1-antihistamines and survival in cancer.
(2020) In Lund University, Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series- Abstract
- Cancer often results from chronic inflammation, and anti-inflammatory medications are therefore potential candidates for drug repurposing for cancer therapy. H2-antihistamines such as cimetidine have long been studied for their promise as cancer medications, but H1-antihistamines have thus far not been studied widely for this purpose. We have previously shown an association with improved breast cancer survival for use of some H1-antihistamines, and other studies have shown similar results for non-localized cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer, while evidence is mounting that some H1-antihistamines normally used to alleviate allergic reactions may also have anti-tumor effects. In the four studies that form the basis of this... (More)
- Cancer often results from chronic inflammation, and anti-inflammatory medications are therefore potential candidates for drug repurposing for cancer therapy. H2-antihistamines such as cimetidine have long been studied for their promise as cancer medications, but H1-antihistamines have thus far not been studied widely for this purpose. We have previously shown an association with improved breast cancer survival for use of some H1-antihistamines, and other studies have shown similar results for non-localized cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer, while evidence is mounting that some H1-antihistamines normally used to alleviate allergic reactions may also have anti-tumor effects. In the four studies that form the basis of this dissertation, we show that some of the most commonly used H1-antihistamines in Sweden – desloratadine and loratadine – are associated with substantially improved survival for patients with melanoma (Study I), breast cancer (Study II) as well as several other immunogenic tumor types (Study III) and quantify the potential effect of a desloratadine intervention, showing that numerous lives may be spared should desloratadine be integrated into cancer therapy (Study IV). We suggest a desloratadine effect as the explanation of our findings, one that is likely immunological in nature, and call for randomized clinical trials of desloratadine as treatment of immunogenic cancers, and if effective, further studies to quantify and elucidate the mechanism. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
https://lup.lub.lu.se/record/4a35218b-9065-43ce-8fda-b161b8cad5a2
- author
- Fritz, Ildikó LU
- supervisor
-
- Håkan Olsson LU
- Per Broberg LU
- Philippe Wagner LU
- opponent
-
- Professor of Dermatology and Venereology Larkö, Olle, Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg
- organization
- publishing date
- 2020
- type
- Thesis
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- epidemiology, histamine H1 antagonists, histamine antagonists, chemotherapy, immunotherapy
- in
- Lund University, Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series
- issue
- 2020:87
- pages
- 65 pages
- publisher
- Lund University, Faculty of Medicine
- defense location
- Segerfalksalen, BMC A10, Sölvegatan 17 i Lund
- defense date
- 2020-09-11 13:00:00
- ISSN
- 1652-8220
- ISBN
- 978-91-7619-949-7
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- 4a35218b-9065-43ce-8fda-b161b8cad5a2
- date added to LUP
- 2020-08-21 11:46:16
- date last changed
- 2020-08-24 15:54:49
@phdthesis{4a35218b-9065-43ce-8fda-b161b8cad5a2, abstract = {{Cancer often results from chronic inflammation, and anti-inflammatory medications are therefore potential candidates for drug repurposing for cancer therapy. H2-antihistamines such as cimetidine have long been studied for their promise as cancer medications, but H1-antihistamines have thus far not been studied widely for this purpose. We have previously shown an association with improved breast cancer survival for use of some H1-antihistamines, and other studies have shown similar results for non-localized cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and ovarian cancer, while evidence is mounting that some H1-antihistamines normally used to alleviate allergic reactions may also have anti-tumor effects. In the four studies that form the basis of this dissertation, we show that some of the most commonly used H1-antihistamines in Sweden – desloratadine and loratadine – are associated with substantially improved survival for patients with melanoma (Study I), breast cancer (Study II) as well as several other immunogenic tumor types (Study III) and quantify the potential effect of a desloratadine intervention, showing that numerous lives may be spared should desloratadine be integrated into cancer therapy (Study IV). We suggest a desloratadine effect as the explanation of our findings, one that is likely immunological in nature, and call for randomized clinical trials of desloratadine as treatment of immunogenic cancers, and if effective, further studies to quantify and elucidate the mechanism.}}, author = {{Fritz, Ildikó}}, isbn = {{978-91-7619-949-7}}, issn = {{1652-8220}}, keywords = {{epidemiology; histamine H1 antagonists; histamine antagonists; chemotherapy; immunotherapy}}, language = {{eng}}, number = {{2020:87}}, publisher = {{Lund University, Faculty of Medicine}}, school = {{Lund University}}, series = {{Lund University, Faculty of Medicine Doctoral Dissertation Series}}, title = {{Improved cancer survival with use of common antihistamines. Epidemiological studies on the use of H1-antihistamines and survival in cancer.}}, url = {{https://lup.lub.lu.se/search/files/82909925/Ildik_Fritz_Kappa.pdf}}, year = {{2020}}, }