New Study Claims Sildenafil Lessens Risk of Colorectal Cancer
March is Colon Cancer Awareness Month, and doctors have been vigilant in reminding the public to take care of their health and watch out for signs of the disease even though they have yet to reach the 50-year mark.
As per physician's recommendation, people who are aged 50 and up should start undergoing colonoscopies to check for warning signs. According to the specialists from Central Penn Gastroenterology Associates, 45,000-50,000 people die from colon cancer every year, making it the number two reason for mortality in the U.S. In 2017, 600,920 Americans died from cancer, and another 1.7 million were initially diagnosed to have the disease.
Colon cancer can be prevented, as long as it is detected early.
Get Our Latest News for FREE
It starts with the development of polyps in the walls of the large intestines. Overtime, these will grow and multiply, eventually becoming cancerous. If left untreated, the cancer cells will spread.
Being vigilant in recognizing the signs that one is sick is the key. Some of the most common symptoms reportedly include sudden weight loss, fatigue, irregular bowel movements and blood in the stool.
Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Institute also reminds that anemia may also be an initial sign of internal bleeding that leads to colon or rectal cancer. If a patient feels dizzy or experiences shortness of breath, it is best to be tested right away. American College of Gastroenterology reports that it is possible for patients to bleed internally for months without showing blood in their stool.
Meanwhile, Dr. Derren Browning, a researcher from the Medical College of Georgia at Augusta University, has been studying the potential effect of ingesting Sildenafil or Viagra in reducing the risk of colorectal cancer. According to his research, a low dose of the drug taken daily may prevent the formation of polyps.
Browning and his team have performed the experiment on two different mouse models. The result reportedly showed that the number of polyps was cut in half with the medication.
Sildenafil or Viagra is best known to treat erectile dysfunction. In some cases, it is also prescribed to those patients suffering from pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and benign prostate hyperplasia. The drug functions by relaxing the muscle cells around blood vessels so that they can pump blood more easily.
Browning's study shows that it can increase the chemical level that prevents excessive cell proliferation in the intestinal lining, thereby prohibiting mutations that may lead to cancer.
