LÉO RAMOS
Cancer drug pills: no adverse effectsLÉO RAMOSFollowing a phase 1 clinical trial now being conducted at the São Paulo State Cancer Institute (Icesp), in which a group of ten cancer patients received synthetic phosphoethanolamine for two months, the drug was deemed safe and devoid of any significant toxicity. Although six patients left the trial when their clinical state worsened, the drug received the green light for phase 2 testing on more people. “Evaluation of the first stage was essential to making sure that use of the substance carries no risk of serious adverse events,” says oncologist Paulo Hoff, Icesp general director and study coordinator. “Starting now, the study will determine whether phosphoethanolamine is effective or not, encompassing a larger number of people.” The second phase of the trial, scheduled to last six months, will provide information on whether the drug offers any benefits in treating 10 types of tumors (head and neck, lung, breast, colon and rectal, cervical, prostate, melanoma, pancreatic, stomach, and liver). For each type of tumor, a group of 20 patients will receive phosphoethanolamine.
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