Continued nicotine use promotes brain tumors in lung cancer patients, study suggests

(Rockefeller University Press) Researchers have discovered that nicotine promotes the spread of lung cancer cells into the brain, where they can form deadly metastatic tumors. The study, which will be published June 4 in the Journal of Experimental Medicine, suggests that nicotine replacement therapies may not be suitable strategies for lung cancer patients attempting to quit smoking. In addition, the researchers show that the naturally occurring drug parthenolide blocks nicotine-induced brain metastasis in mice, suggesting a potential therapeutic option in humans.
Source: EurekAlert! - Social and Behavioral Science - Category: International Medicine & Public Health Source Type: news