Cialis to Fight Cancer?

Doctors at The Johns Hopkins Hospital are testing to see if Cialis, the erectile dysfunction drug, can help people with cancer. A new clinical trial is studying whether the drug’s tumor-fighting benefits have the potential to help those fighting head and neck cancer. The link between erectile dysfunction drugs and cancer treatment was first discovered by a Johns Hopkins oncology researcher who conducted studies in mice and human blood samples, all of which showed improvement in the immune response of patients who received Cialis. Other research conducted using Viagra also was successful. However, researchers believe it has too short of a half-life to offer the same benefits as Cialis, which has a halflife that is twice as long.

Researchers are enrolling patients in the clinical trial, which is funded by a grant from the National Cancer Institute. Patients are given a once-daily dose of Cialis for 10 to 14 days. At the end of the test period, their blood samples are looked at to determine the drug’s success in boosting the immune system. Patients then proceed with their recommended treatment protocol, whether it’s surgery, chemotherapy or radiation. Right now, doctors consider Cialis primarily as a complement to other standard therapy. In the future, there is potential that the drug could lessen or eliminate the need for chemotherapy or radiation.