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Home |Health | News

Cheap, 'safe' drug kills most cancers

New Scientist has received an unprecedented amount of interest in this story from readers. If you would like up-to-date information on any plans for clinical trials of DCA in patients with cancer, or would like to donate towards a fund for such trials, please visit the site set up by the University of Alberta and the Alberta Cancer Board. We will also follow events closely and will report any progress as it happens.

Update, 16 May 2011: If you've just heard about this story, please read this recent update too.

Article originally published online 17 January 2007:

It sounds almost too good to be true: a cheap and simple drug that kills almost all cancers by switching off their "immortality". The drug, dichloroacetate (DCA), has already been used for years to treat rare metabolic disorders and so is known to be relatively safe.

It also has no patent, meaning it could be manufactured for a fraction of the cost of newly developed drugs.

Evangelos Michelakis of the University of Alberta in Edmonton, Canada, and his colleagues tested DCA on human cells cultured outside the body and found that it killed lung, breast and brain cancer cells, but not healthy cells. Tumours in rats deliberately infected with human cancer also shrank drastically when they were fed DCA-laced water for several weeks.

DCA attacks a unique feature of cancer cells: the fact that they make their energy throughout the main body of the cell, rather than in distinct organelles called mitochondria. This process, called glycolysis, is inefficient and uses up vast amounts of sugar.

Until now it had been assumed that cancer cells used glycolysis because their mitochondria were irreparably damaged. However, Michelakis's experiments prove this is not the case, because DCA reawakened the mitochondria in cancer cells. The cells then withered and died (Cancer Cell, DOI: 10.1016/j.ccr.2006.10.020).

Michelakis suggests that the switch to glycolysis as an energy source occurs when cells in the middle of an abnormal but benign lump don't get enough oxygen for their mitochondria to work properly (see diagram). In order to survive, they switch off their mitochondria and start producing energy through glycolysis.

Crucially, though, mitochondria do another job in cells: they activate apoptosis, the process by which abnormal cells self-destruct. When cells switch mitochondria off, they become "immortal", outliving other cells in the tumour and so becoming dominant. Once reawakened by DCA, mitochondria reactivate apoptosis and order the abnormal cells to die.

"The results are intriguing because they point to a critical role that mitochondria play: they impart a unique trait to cancer cells that can be exploited for cancer therapy," says Dario Altieri, director of the University of Massachusetts Cancer Center in Worcester.

The phenomenon might also explain how secondary cancers form. Glycolysis generates lactic acid, which can break down the collagen matrix holding cells together. This means abnormal cells can be released and float to other parts of the body, where they seed new tumours.

DCA can cause pain, numbness and gait disturbances in some patients, but this may be a price worth paying if it turns out to be effective against all cancers. The next step is to run clinical trials of DCA in people with cancer. These may have to be funded by charities, universities and governments: pharmaceutical companies are unlikely to pay because they can't make money on unpatented medicines. The pay-off is that if DCA does work, it will be easy to manufacture and dirt cheap.

Paul Clarke, a cancer cell biologist at the University of Dundee in the UK, says the findings challenge the current assumption that mutations, not metabolism, spark off cancers. "The question is: which comes first?" he says.

Cancer - Learn more about one of the world's biggest killers in our comprehensive special report.

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Comments 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

Dichloracetic Acid

Thu Nov 01 19:46:10 GMT 2007 by Nijole

I am interested in the dichloracetic acid. Please advise me on the side effect and contraindication of this medicine.

Maniplius@takas.lt

Dichloracetic Acid

Fri Nov 02 11:22:55 GMT 2007 by Michael Marshall, Online Editorial Assistant

DCA isn't commercially available. This is because the drug has not gone through clinical testing, and therefore has not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

A website, http://www.buydca.com/, was set up without approval to sell the drug, but this was recently shut down by the FDA: (long URL - click here)

The sister site is still going - it merely hosts discussions about the drug and does not sell it. http://www.thedcasite.com/

For information about clinical trials, we recommend you visit the official University of Alberta DCA site, which is here: http://www.depmed.ualberta.ca/dca/

Dichloracetic Acid

Sat Nov 03 21:51:24 GMT 2007 by Nijole

Thanks four your courtesy.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Dichloracetic Acid

Tue Sep 16 12:47:39 BST 2008 by Dich

If you are interested in dichloroacetate, you may also be interested in treating cancer with flavonoids.

Dichloracetic Acid

Mon May 16 15:56:42 BST 2011 by Wayne beale

You can get it online it's already used as the article states at the beginning (The drug, dichloroacetate (DCA), has already been used for years to treat rare metabolic disorders and so is known to be relatively safe). Therefore it has already passed the FDA but for a different purpose, i checked into this about 2 years ago when this information first came to light but unfortunately the guy i was trying to help thought i was nuts and followed the usual medical way and spent huge amounts on hospitals and drugs and he then died. :(

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Dichloracetic Acid

Tue May 17 13:00:20 BST 2011 by Fritz

Ultra pure DCA sells for $49.95 for 20 grams.

Probably intended for some analytic chemistry use.

In bulk it would be a lot cheaper but not as pure.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Dichloracetic Acid

Wed Nov 21 13:09:01 GMT 2007 by Robert Mccane

Please tell about the side effects of dca

Dichloracetic Acid

Sun Jun 22 04:12:49 BST 2008 by Judy Dowell

I am taking DCA. The side effects are minimal if you only take 10mg per kg. Of body weight (or non existant as in my case). If you take more than that, you might experience numbness of the fingers and feet, a change in your gait, and frequent urination. That's about it. You get to keep your hair with this one! I'm impressed. The side effects, to date, have reversed once you stop taking the DCA. See more information online using the above links provided. I'm a survivor and they (oncologist) gave me 6 months last Feb. 07. I'm still here, and he honestly said he expected me to be dead or on life support. He was being honest. I feel like my old self again and that's just after using DCA for 3 weeks. Swelling went down and my skin peeled (as if I'd had a sun burn, but I didn't) and all my itching skin quit itching. My symptoms of the cancer all went away after the first week and I was Stage 4E Lymphoma. Call Medicorp in Canada. They will help you and will work with your GP or Oncologist, but remember, the oncologist will not want to resort to this, they stand to loose their career, so your GP is your best friend with this.

Dichloracetic Acid

Thu Aug 28 03:50:37 BST 2008 by Thomas Mackenzie

Hi my daughter has cancer for 3.1/2 years she is in stage 4 the doctors told her last week end that the cancer was spreading in her hip @ pelvis it is now on her shoulder below the neck also on the bottom of her spine she has been getting chemo and radiation for nothing she is 43 PLEASE can you give me the phone # of the two doctors that are using the treatment I no the risk is our resposibility , but that is ok by us and thank you from a distraught father

Dichloracetic Acid

Tue Oct 21 00:31:43 BST 2008 by Reg Cunningham

Hi judy i have stage 3 scc squamous cell carcinoma i have less than a year to live without radation and chemo, i weigh 77 kgs = 772mg of dca isnt that a lot? maybe too much? i have decided against chemo and radation i am 72 yrs old in good heath except for cancer my doctoe a ent specialist is surprised i am not sufferiong any pain as my neck tumor is large 4"by 2.5 " and more than 1" in height. Cogratulations on your remarkable recovery and thank you for posting i hope to try dca soon the sooner the better but i dont know where to get it and the right dosage, i live in canada i know about the study done in alberta read it in The new scientist magazine

Dichloracetic Acid

Sun Feb 08 20:25:50 GMT 2009 by anastasia xenos

hi,I was just wondering on how i can go about finding this DCA?any information concerning that would be great.thanks.

Dichloracetic Acid

Wed May 06 09:10:32 BST 2009 by Abanindra Singh

Dear Judy,

It was nice reading your article on DCA usage.I am looking for a cure for my father who is suffering from Adenocarcinoma of Stomach and has already undergone chemo with no improvements.We are living in hope now.

It would be very kind of you to suggest me the availability of DCA in Canada so that i can also use it for my Father.

Thanks in advance.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Dichloracetic Acid

Tue Feb 14 14:20:13 GMT 2012 by Klaus-G. Coracino
http://coracino.de

Hi Judy Dowel,

How much did you take per day?

10 mg/Kg bodyweight how many times a day?

pls also think of MMS by Jim Humble

Regards

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Dichloracetic Acid

Wed Dec 10 05:02:22 GMT 2008 by Miyuki

Hello: I have metastic liver cancer, stage 4 , inopertive, will DCA be of any benefit to fighting liver cancer?

Thanks you

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Dca Effect On Cancer Cells

Fri Nov 02 02:05:12 GMT 2007 by Dr. Arthit Kukreja,m. d.

Fascinating concept,appears practical,too. Could I please have more details? How may one contact Dr.Michelakis by email?Thank you!

Dca Effect On Cancer Cells

Sun Dec 14 23:53:45 GMT 2008 by Marilyn J. Saenz

Lost a daughter to breast cancer in 1994 and she took every known treatment and still died. I now have a son 43 who is insulin dependent diabetic and I worry about his health. I hope to be able to purchase DCA to start him on it. Can you let me know where we can purchase it?

Dca Effect On Cancer Cells

Sun Oct 25 22:48:08 GMT 2009 by Don

Diabetes - In Korean and Japaness hospitals doctors treat diabetes with ionized alkaline water. The negative oxidation reduction potential (orp) of this water neutralizes free radicals in the body, which facilitates healing. In Korea there have been clinical trials showing that this is an effective treatment for diabetes.

See website video at -

http://microwaterman.com/Microwater/Alkaline_Water_Videos.htm

Dca And Cancer Cells

Fri Nov 02 02:31:36 GMT 2007 by Dr. Arthit Kukreja,m. d. Diplomate, Board Of Internal Medocine.

Would it be possible for you, or Dr. Michelakis, to mention some details about the suggested dosage,route of administration, duration,possible adverse effects and the frequency of occurrence. I realise that the product is probably not licensed for general use, so that the responsibility is entirely mine. The reason I am so interested is that my beloved wife Nikky, age 54, was Dxed with endometrial cancer stage 1C in Dec.2007; despite surgery and chemotherapy, she now has lymph-node metastases. I am willing, if permitted to do so, to take her for treatment to the Canadian centers involved in the study, although I am aware that at this stage only patients in the locality are being selected.

Dca And Cancer Cells

Sat Nov 03 17:00:26 GMT 2007 by Candice Barnett

If you have already obtained the compound, you may want to contact the DCA site and request the calculator button for the calendar of weights & measures, in terms of the dosage of kg/ mg per body weight.

Dca And Cancer Cells

Fri Nov 09 03:10:12 GMT 2007 by Manfred Pungartnik

Hi,It would appears as though DCA has been used for several decades to treat Mitochondrial diseases in children and therefore human exposure has already been established..just not specifically for cancer.There are apparently two doctors in the Toronto area that are giving this "molecule/chemical to their patients now.Manfred

Dca And Cancer Cells

Wed Nov 21 13:04:02 GMT 2007 by Robert Mccane

Can i have the names of the 2 doctors in toronto. My wife has brain cancer and we need help. Thank you robert mccane

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Dca And Cancer Cells

Mon Oct 27 04:43:58 GMT 2008 by Brett

My father has brain cancer and has had it for about 2 years. Can anyone tell me anything helpful plz

Dca And Cancer Cells

Fri Dec 07 15:05:24 GMT 2007 by Kim Reinhardt

Hi

My mother has lung cancer that has now spread to the brain. I would love for her to give this DCA a try! Please give me the contact information of these two doctors for this purpose. thanks!

Dca And Cancer Cells

Fri Dec 07 15:42:17 GMT 2007 by Michael Marshall, Online Editorial Assistant

The doctors in Toronto can be reached through their website: http://www.depmed.ualberta.ca/dca

Dca And Cancer Cells

Sun Dec 30 11:00:05 GMT 2007 by Laura Graham

I haye a frend that has brain &lung carcer. I would like io help her

Dca And Cancer Cells

Sun Apr 26 04:18:25 BST 2009 by Kim Andrews

Did you have any luck obtaining the contact information for the doctors who administer DCA?

Dca And Cancer Cells

Wed Dec 26 14:07:48 GMT 2007 by Mick Malkemus

If this is the case, why would the FDA withhold this possible treatment for cancer patients, many of who are going to die slow painful deaths and need treatment now, even if not proven. Because it is safe in humans, it doesn't make sense the FDA would place such restrictions. It ought to be made available through a doctor, with the caveat that it is not proven to destroy cancer. What is wrong with that possibility?

Dca And Cancer Cells

Fri Jan 11 02:38:40 GMT 2008 by Ed Vidal

Hi,

I dont want to sound controversial, but this could be one of those cheap "cures" that the FDA does not find good to allow for various reasons.

There is a huge business going on in chemotherapy , etc.

And we all know already the brutal side effects some "legal cancer battle drugs" have...

Just a hope that not all legal things are the good ones, not all the illegal are bad... Just to early..

Dca And Cancer Cells

Tue Jul 28 03:59:26 BST 2009 by Angry with the FDA

I truly doubt the FDA will ever allow a "cure" for cancer to ever be approved. Even the Kanzius machine looks promising yet they seem to put a roadblock at every turn. Cancer treatment is BIG business and they don't want a cure but instead treat it as a "chronic" condition which requires months and/or years of radiation, chemotherapy, and palliative services (in other words, $$$)

Dca And Cancer Cells

Mon May 16 16:05:32 BST 2011 by Wayne Beale

LOL your pretty naive mate it's all about money big corps own America and Pharmaceuticals are some of the biggest

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

This comment breached our terms of use and has been removed.

Comments 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6

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