ROLE OF ANTI-HISTAMINE IN BREAST CANCER
Breast cancer occurs when a healthy cell grows out of control and forms
a tumor and it can spread to other parts of the body. About 1 in 8 women
are diagnosed with cancer in their lifetime. Breast cancer develops
inside the milk ducts which is called Ductal Carcinoma (DCIS). When
abnormal DCIS cells spread to surrounding tissue is known as Invasive
Ductal Carcinoma (IDC). An abnormal cell may also develop into lobules
called Lobular Carcinoma in Situ (LCIS) and are not cancer, when it
spreads to the surrounding tissue then it becomes cancer called Invasive
Lobular carcinoma. As an inflammatory environment maintained in tumours,
an anti-inflammatory medication may be useful in Cancer treatment . H2-
anti-histamine has shown promising results in cancer treatment.
Investigators showed a link with improved survival in melanoma by using
H1- antihistamine. Six antihistamines namely, cetirizine, desloratadine,
ebastine, fexofenadine, clemastine and loratadine were investigated by
researchers in a nation-based study of all 61,627 Swedish women
identified with breast cancer from 2006-2013. By using Cox regression
models both pre- and post-diagnostic antihistamine use was analysed.
Based on subgroup and age oestrogen receptor status and menopausal
status were executed. Within the patient population based on safety and
current use scientists found that desloratadine users had improved
survival rates including loratadine users compared to non-users,
irrespective of menopause status, oestrogen receptor status and patient
age. Other antihistamines which were consumed by survival users
experienced change compared to non-users . The TMC engage in a huge role
in the progression of cancer. Throughout the metastatic period, the
malignant cells familiarize themselves with the TMC and activate
pathways to promote tumor growth by using local signals. In the breast
cancer progression, TAK-1 activating cytokines are present in TMC,
higher level of interleukin-1 has been linked with the aggressive
proliferation of breast cancer . The latest verdict has shown that the
anti-histamine drug Loratadine can also have anti-inflammatory
properties even though the exact mechanism is still unknown. In this
researchers investigated if loratadine can be used as an
anti-inflammatory drug through in-vitro and in-vivo experiments using
macrophage cell lines. Later it was concluded that loratadine exhibits
anti-inflammatory action in macrophage cell lines, specifically
inhibiting the AP-1 signaling pathway and targeting TAK-1(Figure 7), and suppressing AP-1 transactional activity. In
this manner, it reduces the pro-inflammatory mediator’s expression
together with MMP3, MMP1, and MMP9 . The researchers believe further
studies of H1-antihistamine use needs to be conducted for survival in
breast cancer .