A new study has reported that Taxol (paclitaxel) resistance can be reversed in the laboratory. The study was designed to investigate the role of lactate dehydrogenase-A in mediating Taxol resistance in human breast cancer cells. Taxol is one of the most effective chemotherapy drugs used to treat patients with breast cancer. However, most patients eventually develop resistance to Taxol despite very favorable initial responses. Lactate dehydrogenase-A, which is expressed in breast tissue, plays a crucial role in glucose metabolism. Taxol-resistant breast cancer cells developed from a hormone receptor negative breast cancer cell line (MDA-MB-435) can maintain their growth in high concentrations of Taxol whereas the Taxol-sensitive parent cells cannot. Inhibition of lactate dehydrogenase-A was shown to re-sensitizes Taxol-resistant cells to Taxol. The authors conclude that the study provides valuable information for the future development and use of targeted therapies, such as oxamate, for the treatment of patients with Taxol-resistant breast cancer.
Certain foods also inhibit lactate dehydrogenase-A
Certain foods or their components have also been found to inhibit lactate dehydrogenase-A, thereby potentially delaying or reducing Taxol resistance in breast cancer patients. The following foods have been shown to have this effect, while also having been found to be protective against breast cancer generally:
Please see our article on Taxol for more information on what to eat during chemotherapy.