Cancer becomes much more dangerous when it spreads to other parts of the body. This spreading process is called metastasis. It happens when small groups of cancer cells break away from the main tumor and travel through the blood or lymph system to new places in the body.
These tiny cancer cells are very hard to detect. Doctors often cannot see them with scans or remove them during surgery. This is why many patients receive chemotherapy after surgery. The goal of chemotherapy is to destroy any remaining cancer cells and reduce the chance that the cancer will come back.
However, there is a hidden problem. Chemotherapy can cause inflammation in the body. Inflammation is part of the body’s natural response to injury or stress, but too much of it can be harmful.
Some research has shown that inflammation may actually help cancer cells survive and spread. This means that, in some cases, treatment meant to stop cancer could unintentionally make it easier for it to move to other parts of the body.
Scientists have been trying to find ways to reduce this risk. A new study from Emory University has found a possible solution using a drug that already exists. The drug is called ketorolac. It is a common anti-inflammatory medicine that doctors usually use to treat short-term pain, such as after surgery.
In this study, researchers tested whether giving ketorolac before surgery could help stop cancer from spreading. They found that the drug had an important effect on the immune system. It helped activate the body’s natural defenses, allowing immune cells to better find and destroy small groups of cancer cells that might remain after surgery.
This finding helps explain results from earlier clinical observations. In some breast cancer patients, those who received ketorolac during surgery seemed to have a lower risk of cancer spreading later.
Until now, scientists were not sure why this happened. The new research suggests that reducing inflammation at the right time may help the immune system do its job more effectively.
Ketorolac is already approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, which means it has been tested for safety in humans. However, it is not used widely for long periods because it can have side effects, especially if taken too often.
In this study, the drug was used in a controlled way, and it showed promising results in animal models. Mice that received ketorolac had less cancer spread and lived longer than those that did not receive the drug.
The researchers also explored whether combining ketorolac with other simple treatments could improve the results. They tested it together with low-dose aspirin and omega-3 fatty acids, which are found in foods like fish oil.
These substances are also known to reduce inflammation in the body. When used together, the combination worked even better. More mice survived, and fewer cancer cells spread to other parts of the body.
This approach is exciting because it focuses on using existing, widely available treatments in a new way. Instead of creating completely new drugs, scientists are looking at how timing and combination of treatments can make a big difference. This could make future treatments more affordable and easier to apply in real-world settings.
The research team is now working to understand how this strategy could be used in human patients. More studies and clinical trials are needed before it becomes a standard treatment. Still, the results provide hope that a simple and already approved drug might help reduce one of the biggest risks in cancer care.
The study was led by Dr. Vikas P. Sukhatme and published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation. It adds to growing evidence that controlling inflammation may be a key part of stopping cancer from spreading and improving survival.
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