2-Drug Combo Reduces Lung Cancer Tumor Size, Quantity in Mice, Says Researchers

According to a study conducted by researchers from the Salk Institute and Northwestern University, combining two drugs, one previously approved by the FDA and the other currently in clinical trials, can help reduce tumor size and quantity in mice with non-small cell lung cancer.

As first reported by MedicalNewsToday, researchers discovered histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors as a viable therapy for LKB1-mutant lung adenocarcinoma, a molecular subtype of non-small cell lung cancer that accounts for around 20,000 new cases in the United States each year.

Study in Mice Discover Drug Helps Reduce Tumors

The study revealed that HDAC3 plays a role in forming some tumors caused by a mutation in the LKB1 gene. The researchers sought to see if they could use medications that inhibit HDAC3 to decrease the growth of these cancers.

They employed two drugs called entinostat and trametinib to treat malignant tumors in mice. Entinostat is now being tested in humans, while the FDA already approved trametinib to treat another kind of cancer known as KRAS/LKB1 mutant non-small cell lung cancer.

The researchers administered entinostat, trametinib, or both drugs to mice by mouth for 42 days to determine if the treatments could reduce tumor development. They discovered neither treatment alone could stop tumor growth, but combining both medications considerably decreased tumor size relative to all other groups treated differently.

Mice given the combined medication had 79% less tumor development and 63% fewer tumors in their lungs than mice not given any drugs. Although the combination of these drugs has not yet been tested in humans, the study's chief researcher, Dr. Lillian Eichner, is confident that this treatment will be safe and effective.

"A phase 1 clinical trial would come first to assess the safety of this combination therapy approach," Dr. Eichner told MedicalNewsToday. "Our preclinical studies were very encouraging with regard to [the] safety of this drug combination, and based on the established safety profiles of both drugs, we are hopeful that this would also be the case in people."

Drug development can be arduous and expensive, with recent research estimating an average investment of $1.3 billion to bring a new drug to market. As a result, developing new methods to use current medications is both cheaper and faster.

Lung Cancer Cases in the United States

Lung cancer is still the most prevalent in men and women in the United States, accounting for almost one in every five cancer deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, about 238,340 new lung cancer cases will be identified in 2023, with around 127,070 deaths resulting from the disease. While it is primarily common among the elderly, a few cases have been reported in younger people.

While the incidence of lung cancer is declining, it still causes more deaths than colon, breast, and prostate cancer combined. Smoking, air pollution, and secondhand smoke exposure are all established risk factors for developing lung cancer.

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