Anti-cancer drug could help avoid premature births
Published: June 14, 2005
An anti-cancer drug could be the first effective treatment to stem the many thousands of premature births which occur each year, according to research released yesterday.
A team from the University of Newcastle upon Tyne found the drug Trichostatin A (TSA) has the potential to control early labour contractions and so avoid babies being born too soon.
The drug, which has been used to treat types of cancer including breast, bowel and lung, has been found in the laboratory to control levels of a hormone receptor protein in the womb linked with giving birth.
The research, still at an early stage, could offer hope to many women who see their premature babies die or suffer from physical or mental disability as a result of being born too early.
In the UK each year, about 10 per cent of pregnancies (approximately 60,000) end with premature births of less than 37 weeks gestation.
Research leader Dr Nick Europe-Finner said: “Many people think that premature births are no longer a problem and would be astonished to know that, even in a sophisticated, developed nation like the UK, there are still around 10 per cent of births which are classed as premature.
“It’s particularly frustrating for doctors and mothers alike that there is still no effective treatment, despite the fact that many premature babies die or have physical or mental conditions that may affect them for the rest of their lives.”
Professor Andrew Calder, from the department of obstetrics and gynaecology, at the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh, welcomed the research but also urged caution.
“The research is very interesting and may prove to be a major finding in the long-term. However, premature births are a very emotive area and I would stress that there is still a long way to go and a lot of questions still to be answered.
“There is also the problem that the body’s natural processes have a habit of getting round processes imposed on them.”
The research, funded by the charity Action Medical Research, is published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. The charity is funding further work, which it is hoped will lead to clinical trials.
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