[Ricardo]

Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by Ricardo on Wed May 18, 2011 12:55 pm

I came across this article this morning,

http://www.lifeslittlemysteries.com/big-pharma-ignoring-potential-cancer-cure-dca-1697/

and it discusses how the drug dichloroacetate has shown some very promising results as a general cancer treatment.

Are there any studies looking into the drug's potential use as a treatment for multiple myeloma?

I could only find one study looking into DCA's use as a myeloma treatment. It apparently is underway in Australia under the guidance of Dr. Laurence Catley of the Mater Medical Research Institute. Here is a description of the research from September of last year:

ABSTRACT: Despite enormous investment in new therapeutic drugs, multiple myeloma (multiple myeloma) remains an incurable malignancy. A fundamental problem that limits the success of current multiple myeloma therapies is that multiple myeloma cells in the bone marrow (BM) develop a protective survival mechanism. The chemical compound dichloroacetate (DCA) was discovered to induce selective killing of cancer cells by altering their metabolism. We will test whether DCA alters metabolism in multiple myeloma cells, selectively induces multiple myeloma cell death and suppresses multiple myeloma growth in MM-bearing mice. This pre-clinical investigation may offer new opportunities for therapeutic intervention in multiple myeloma patients.

For more on DCA, including it's potential use as a cancer treatment, see the Wikipedia article about the drug:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dichloroacetic_acid

Also, the researchers at the University of Alberta who are investigating the drug have a decent website with information:

http://www.dca.med.ualberta.ca/Home/index.cfm

Anyone have any additional information on DCA and myeloma?

[Marie M]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by Marie M on Wed May 18, 2011 5:37 pm

Read online article re DCA . How great to find info re Australian myeloma study. Have a family member with multiple myeloma & am always looking for more & positive info.

[Dr. Edward Libby]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by Dr. Edward Libby on Fri May 20, 2011 4:43 pm

There are no articles published in the scientific literature (PubMed) regarding the use of dichloroacetate in multiple myeloma. Since 1980 there have been 127 articles published that relate to the use of dichloroacetate and other drugs with a similar mechanism in many different types of cancer. As of 2011 the drug has not been studied outside of the laboratory and anti-cancer efficacy in humans, if any, is unknown. Dichloroacetate has shown some promise in the test tube setting and therefore some investigators are interested in learning more about the drug and other drugs like it. There are currently 4 Phase I trials of this compound on the National Cancer Institute website. There trials are for patients with brain cancer, head and neck cancer and other solid tumors. If any anticancer effect is seen in these studies perhaps the drug will be tested in myeloma patients.
All the best.

[mamateeche]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by mamateeche on Tue Jun 07, 2011 10:24 pm

Taken from:
http://scienceblog.cancerresearchuk.org/2010/05/12/potential-cancer-drug-dca-tested-in-early-trials/

Carine Hartman says:
June 1, 2011 at 2:03 am
30 Rate This
I spoke to Prof. Michelakis this week and just finished doing a story about DCA.The team from the University of Alberta are in Phase 2 with their trials testing it now on more brain cancer sufferers as well as lung and breast cancer patients.
So they tested it on only 49 patients since 2008 – and ALL 49 were healed. And the five terminally ill ones who had at best a year from the worst cancer a human can get? The tumors either shrunk or stopped growing within three months.
I’m sorry. That for me spells a cure: plain and simple. And obviously inexpensive…
Forgive me for being cynical, but money does talk

[MrHenderson]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by MrHenderson on Mon Jun 20, 2011 3:51 pm

> So they tested it on only 49 patients since 2008 – and ALL 49 were healed.
> And the five terminally ill ones who had at best a year from the worst
> cancer a human can get? The tumors either shrunk or stopped growing within
> three months.
> I’m sorry. That for me spells a cure: plain and simple.

There has evidently been some misunderstanding here. There were two trials. One involved five patients, who were all treated with DCA; one died three months after starting the treatment. In the other, involving 49 patients, brain tumours were surgically removed from patients and exposed to DCA; the patients were not treated with DCA as part of the trial.

This is the official press release:
http://www.dca.med.ualberta.ca/Home/Updates/2010-05-12_Update.cfm

You can read a full report on the trials (lead author: Dr E D Michelakis) here:
http://dca-information.pbworks.com/w/file/26556391/Metabolic-Modulation-of-Glioblastoma-with-Dichloroacetate.pdf

The Wikipedia page on dichloroacetic acid is a useful starting point if you are looking for more information.

[chrisjohn]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by chrisjohn on Mon Jan 02, 2012 6:30 pm

I came across Medicor Cancer Centers and they've started to issue DCA Therapy to patients.

Check the links:
http://www.medicorcancer.com/DownloadForms/DCA-FAQs_form-Medicor.pdf

http://www.medicorcancer.com/dca-data.html

[suzierose]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by suzierose on Mon Jan 02, 2012 11:28 pm

Interesting find, Ricardo.

Happy New Year!

[Chris]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by Chris on Fri Jan 27, 2012 2:08 pm

anyone have experience using DCA?

[alejandrozarate]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by alejandrozarate on Wed Jul 18, 2012 9:24 am

I just started using DCA today.
My Globulins are in the 9K range. I start 8 cycle Velcade and Dex next Wednesday as well.
Will let you guys know my progress.
I'm exited about all this DCA option. I really hope and pray that it will work.
Regards,
AZ

[Nancy Shamanna]

Re: Dichloroacetate (DCA) for multiple myeloma?

by Nancy Shamanna on Wed Jul 18, 2012 12:39 pm

Best wishes on this treatment, Alejandro. Just reading back up the 'thread', it seems like DCA has quite a different mechanism than other myeloma drugs. Imagine 'reactivating' one's mitochondria in a cancer cell, which would then self-destruct! It sounds very elegant in its simplicity. Will be interested to hear how the treatment goes (a clinical trial?).