• HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
Tuesday, September 2, 2025
BIOENGINEER.ORG
No Result
View All Result
  • Login
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
  • HOME
  • NEWS
  • EXPLORE
    • CAREER
      • Companies
      • Jobs
        • Lecturer
        • PhD Studentship
        • Postdoc
        • Research Assistant
    • EVENTS
    • iGEM
      • News
      • Team
    • PHOTOS
    • VIDEO
    • WIKI
  • BLOG
  • COMMUNITY
    • FACEBOOK
    • INSTAGRAM
    • TWITTER
No Result
View All Result
Bioengineer.org
No Result
View All Result
Home NEWS Science News

Avoiding over-the-counter heartburn meds could save cancer patients’ lives

Bioengineer by Bioengineer
December 16, 2016
in Science News
Reading Time: 2 mins read
0
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare on LinkedinShare on RedditShare on Telegram
IMAGE

Credit: Melissa Fabrizio

Something as seemingly harmless as a heartburn pill could lead cancer patients to take a turn for the worse. A University of Alberta study published in journal JAMA Oncology discovered that proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), which are very common medications for heartburn and gastrointestinal bleeding, decrease effects of capecitabine, a type of chemotherapy usually prescribed to gastric cancer patients.

The study by Department of Oncology's Michael Sawyer, Michael Chu and their team included more than 500 patients and the results were conclusive: PPIs affected progression-free survival by more than a month; the overall survival in cancer patients was reduced by more than two months, and the disease control rate decreased by 11 per cent.

Although this research was focused on gastric cancer patients, Sawyer's team has followed up with another study in early stage colorectal cancer and discovered that those who took PPIs and capecitabine were also at risk for decreased cancer treatment efficacy. In that study, patients who took PPIs while on capecitabine had a decreased chance of being cured of their colorectal cancer.

PPIs are very popular for their efficacy and many of them are over-the-counter drugs (some common brands are Nexium, Prevacid and Protonix). Sawyer explains the risk of this interaction is high as some cancer patients may not even have these medications prescribed by a physician, but could obtain them easily over-the-counter at a pharmacy and accidentally alter their chemotherapy treatment without knowing it: "This could be a very common and underappreciated side effect. One study estimated that at 20 per cent of cancer patients in general take proton pump inhibitors."

The explanation for the negative outcome may be in gastric pH levels. Previous studies had been done on the interaction of this type of chemo with the antacid medication Maalox, without obtaining any alarming results; but unlike Maalox, PPI's are able to raise pH to a point where they could affect disintegration of capecitabine tablets. "Given that PPIs are much more potent and can essentially abolish gastric acidity there may be a significant interaction between capecitabine and PPIs," says Sawyer.

Sawyer, a clinical pharmacologist and medical oncologist and member of the U of A's Faculty of Medicine & Dentistry since 2001, is currently conducting more research on this topic to unveil more about the interaction of chemotherapy with other medications.

This discovery may lead to change the usual procedures for prescription of PPIs. Some cancer patients cannot discontinue these medications in order to treat bleedings or other gastric conditions that must be kept under control. "In that case, there are alternatives for oncologists or family doctors that become aware of this risk," says Sawyer. "Physicians should use caution in prescribing PPIs to patients on capecitabine and, if they must use PPIs due to gastrointestinal bleeding issues, maybe they should consider using other types of chemotherapy that don't present this interaction."

###

Media Contact

Ross Neitz
[email protected]
780-492-5986
@ualberta_fomd

http://www.med.ualberta.ca

############

Story Source: Materials provided by Scienmag

Share12Tweet7Share2ShareShareShare1

Related Posts

Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel vs. Real-World Therapy in Myeloma

September 2, 2025

Pan-Cancer Study Highlights ZNF132’s Role in Colorectal Cancer

September 2, 2025

Unlocking Amaryllidaceae: Hidden Chemistry and Biology

September 2, 2025

Inhibitory Control Training to Curb Binge Eating

September 2, 2025
Please login to join discussion

POPULAR NEWS

  • blank

    Breakthrough in Computer Hardware Advances Solves Complex Optimization Challenges

    154 shares
    Share 62 Tweet 39
  • Molecules in Focus: Capturing the Timeless Dance of Particles

    143 shares
    Share 57 Tweet 36
  • New Drug Formulation Transforms Intravenous Treatments into Rapid Injections

    117 shares
    Share 47 Tweet 29
  • Do people and monkeys see colors the same way?

    112 shares
    Share 45 Tweet 28

About

We bring you the latest biotechnology news from best research centers and universities around the world. Check our website.

Follow us

Recent News

Ciltacabtagene Autoleucel vs. Real-World Therapy in Myeloma

Pan-Cancer Study Highlights ZNF132’s Role in Colorectal Cancer

Unlocking Amaryllidaceae: Hidden Chemistry and Biology

  • Contact Us

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In
No Result
View All Result
  • Homepages
    • Home Page 1
    • Home Page 2
  • News
  • National
  • Business
  • Health
  • Lifestyle
  • Science

Bioengineer.org © Copyright 2023 All Rights Reserved.