Drug for digestive problem can extend survival for many advanced cancer patients
Wednesday, October 28, 2015 - 12:50
in Health & Medicine
Advanced cancer patients given a drug designed to relieve constipation caused by pain killers lived longer with less tumor progression than those who did not receive or respond to the drug, researchers report. This is the first study in humans to associate opioid blockade with longer survival. It suggests that methylnaltrexone, approved in 2008 for prevention of opioid-induced constipation, should play a larger role in cancer therapy.