Cancer is a serious disease, and it becomes even more dangerous when it spreads to other parts of the body. This spreading process is called metastasis.
Most people who die from cancer don’t die because of the original tumor, but because the cancer spreads. Once cancer cells break away from the main tumor, they can travel through the body and grow in new places.
These small groups of cancer cells are often too tiny to see or remove during surgery. That’s why doctors usually give chemotherapy after surgery—to kill any cells that are left behind. But chemotherapy isn’t perfect.
It can sometimes cause inflammation in the body. And that inflammation may actually help cancer spread. This is a big problem for doctors who are trying to stop cancer from coming back.
But now, scientists at Emory University may have found a simple way to help solve this problem. They looked at a common painkiller called ketorolac. Ketorolac is a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID).
It’s been used for many years to help with pain, but doctors don’t use it often because of possible side effects. Even though it’s approved by the FDA, it’s usually only used for a short time.
Now, this old drug might have a new use: stopping cancer from spreading during and after surgery.
In studies with mice, researchers gave ketorolac before surgery. The results were exciting. The drug helped the mice’s immune systems fight the cancer. The mice that received ketorolac had fewer cancer cells spreading to other parts of their bodies. They also lived longer than mice that didn’t get the drug.
This result also helps explain some older research. In the past, doctors noticed that breast cancer patients who received ketorolac during surgery were less likely to have the cancer come back. They didn’t know why. But this new study gives a possible answer.
The researchers didn’t stop with ketorolac alone. They tried giving mice a mix of ketorolac, low-dose aspirin, and omega-3 fatty acids. The results were even better. This combination helped the body fight cancer more strongly. It stopped the cancer from spreading and helped the mice live longer.
It may seem surprising that simple painkillers can fight cancer, but it makes sense. Inflammation in the body can help cancer grow. Anti-inflammatory drugs like ketorolac and aspirin reduce this inflammation. That makes it harder for cancer cells to grow in new places.
This discovery gives hope that ketorolac could help stop cancer spread in people too. Dr. Vikas P. Sukhatme, the lead researcher, believes that using ketorolac along with other treatments might really help patients. His team is now studying how to do this safely and in the best way.
More research is still needed. Scientists need to learn how ketorolac works with different cancers and other treatments. They also need to find out the best amount and timing to use it. But the early results are full of hope.
If future studies confirm these findings, ketorolac might become a new tool to stop cancer from spreading. It could help people live longer and feel better. This shows that even old medicines can offer new answers. A painkiller that’s been around for decades might help save lives in a brand-new way.
The researchers are continuing their work and hope their early success will lead to real treatments for people. Their study, published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation, shows that sometimes the best ideas come from the most unexpected places.
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