Could Botox be an alternative to chemotherapy ?

A global team of scientists has developed a stunning discovery in cancer research. Botox popular as a beauty therapy – is an inexpensive, safe and successful anti-cancer treatment.

In the research, scientists from the US, Japan, Germany and Norway examined the function of the nervous system in cancer. They identified that the vagal nerve contributes to the development of gastric tumors via the release of a neurotransmitter.

To be able to limit tumor development, the team started examining methods that would avoid this nerve from signaling to the tumor.

“We identified that by eliminating the effect of the nerve, the stem cells in the cancer tumor are under control, resulting in cancer therapy and prevention,” states Prof. Duan Chen.

The team used 4 methods to sever associations between the tumor and nerve. They were:

• Reducing the gastric vagus nerve (vagotomy)
• Giving a local injection of Botox to prevent the release of the neurotransmitter from the vagus nerve
• Giving a drug to prevent the receptor of the neurotransmitter
• Striking out the receptor gene.

Which methods were most effective at cutting the tumor-nerve connection?

All of the methods were effective at controlling tumor development. But the anti-cancer effects were very powerful with the local vagotomy and Botox approaches. “It basically amazed us,” states Prof. Chen. “The outcome that Botox was extremely effective was specifically fascinating.”

“We think this therapy is a good therapy because it can be applied locally and it focuses on the cancer stem cells,” he claims. And one more advantage of Botox is that the therapy only needs the sufferer to stay in the medical center for a few hours.

Co-author Prof. Timothy C. Wang, explained what guided the team to take into consideration that Botox as a tool for cutting the association between tumor and nerve:

“We identified that the neurotransmitter acetylcholine was the major arbitrator of tumor development, and Botox is well-known to prevent acetylcholine release from nerve terminals – that is how it halt facial muscles. We have utilized this in gastroenterology to rest tight sphincters in the stomach and esophagus, and it has been applied to decrease the development of increased prostates in men. Thus, there was a history for this ‘chemical denervation’ method.”

Botox is less costly and less toxic than most conventional cancer therapies, with hardly any side effects.

Regardless of this, for most sufferers, the scientists recommend that the best therapy is reducing the gastric vagus nerve in combo with standard chemotherapy. This is due to the fact the loss of input from the nerve makes the cancer more susceptible and increases the efficacy of chemotherapy.

Botox, however, could be regarded as a supplemental treatment for sufferers who can no longer react to chemotherapy or who do not desire to have chemotherapy. It may also be advantageous for sufferers whose stomach cancer is considered to be un-treatable.