WHAT DOES BEP CHEMOTHERAPY DO?
A brief look at how BEP / EP chemo works
Cisplatin and BEP CHEMOTHERAPY how it was created
Barnett Rosenberg
pROF Lawrence Einhorn
Barnett Rosenberg, In the fight against testicular cancer, medical science has made significant strides in the development of effective treatments.
One such breakthrough came with the discovery of cisplatin, a revolutionary chemotherapy drug that has saved countless lives and transformed cancer treatment. In this blog post, we will delve into the fascinating history of cisplatin and explore how this powerful chemotherapy agent was created, changing the landscape of cancer therapy forever.
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The Discovery of Cisplatin: Cisplatin was first discovered in the early 1960s by accident. While researching the potential anticancer properties of electric fields on bacteria, Dr. Barnett Rosenberg, a biochemist at Michigan State University, observed an unusual phenomenon. He noticed that certain platinum electrodes inhibited bacterial cell division when an electric current passed through them.
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This piqued Dr. Rosenberg's interest and led him to explore the possibility of using platinum compounds as a cancer treatment.
The Journey to Clinical Trials: After the serendipitous discovery of cisplatin's potential anticancer effects, further research ensued to understand its mechanism of action and safety for human use. Dr. Rosenberg collaborated with Dr. Loretta Van Camp, an oncology specialist, to investigate cisplatin's effects on cancer cells in animal models.
Their findings were promising, demonstrating that cisplatin could effectively inhibit tumor growth in various experimental settings.
These compelling results prompted the initiation of clinical trials in the late 1960s and early 1970s to evaluate the drug's effectiveness and safety in human cancer patients. The clinical trials primarily focused on treating testicular cancer, which was known to be resistant to conventional treatments at the time.
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Clinical Success and FDA Approval: The clinical trials with cisplatin yielded remarkable outcomes, showcasing substantial response rates in patients with testicular cancer, even in those cases that were previously considered untreatable. The drug's ability to induce remission and improve survival rates was groundbreaking.
In 1978, based on the positive clinical trial data, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved cisplatin for the treatment of testicular and ovarian cancer. This marked a pivotal moment in the history of cancer therapy, as cisplatin became the first platinum-based chemotherapy drug to be approved for medical use.
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Cisplatin works by forming crosslinks between DNA strands in rapidly dividing cancer cells, effectively preventing them from replicating and ultimately leading to cell death. Its specificity for cancer cells, while sparing healthy cells to some extent, made it a game-changer in cancer treatment.
Continued Research and Evolving Uses: Over the years, researchers have continued to study cisplatin and its derivatives, leading to the development of various platinum-based chemotherapy drugs. These innovations have expanded the application of platinum-based therapies to treat different types of cancer, including lung, bladder, head and neck, and many other cancers.
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The discovery of cisplatin stands as a testament to the remarkable achievements of medical science. From a chance observation in a laboratory to becoming a cornerstone in cancer treatment, cisplatin has undoubtedly made a significant impact on countless lives. As researchers continue to explore novel therapies and combination treatments, the legacy of cisplatin will persist, driving us toward a future where cancer may one day be conquered.
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Prof Lawrence Einhorn,
a prominent oncologist, played a pivotal role in creating the highly effective chemotherapy regimen known as BEP, which stands for Bleomycin, Etoposide, and Cisplatin.
In the late 1970s, Dr. Einhorn began experimenting with cisplatin in combination with other drugs to treat testicular cancer, a type of cancer that was previously difficult to cure.
Through rigorous clinical trials and innovative research, he demonstrated that the BEP chemotherapy regimen could achieve an astonishing 90% cure rate in patients with testicular cancer. This groundbreaking achievement revolutionized cancer treatment and set a new standard for combination chemotherapy, saving countless lives and becoming a cornerstone of cancer therapy worldwide.
Dr. Lawrence Einhorn's contributions to medical science and his dedication to improving cancer patients' outcomes have made him a true pioneer in the field of oncology.
How BEP chemotherapy works against germ cell cancer ( testicular cancer ) and where is the chemo developed from
1. Day 1 – Cisplatin Starts Working:
• Cisplatin is the first drug to take effect. It enters the bloodstream and targets the DNA in cancer cells.
• It attaches to the DNA, forming bonds that cause the DNA to bend and break. This prevents the cancer cells from making copies of themselves.
• Within hours, the cancer cells struggle to divide, and their growth slows down.
2. Day 2 – Etoposide Joins In:
• Etoposide comes into play. It targets an enzyme called topoisomerase II, which helps cancer cells unwind their DNA so they can divide.
• Etoposide blocks this enzyme, causing the DNA to tangle and break. Without properly functioning DNA, the cancer cells can’t divide or repair themselves.
• Over the next day or two, the cancer cells become increasingly damaged.
3. Day 3 – Bleomycin Takes Effect:
• Bleomycin starts damaging the DNA directly. It creates breaks in the DNA strands, further damaging the cancer cells.
• Cancer cells can’t survive with so much DNA damage, and they start dying off.
• Bleomycin also triggers oxidative stress inside the cells, which weakens them further.
Days 4-7 – Cancer Cells Die:
• As the days go on, more and more cancer cells can’t survive the DNA damage caused by all three drugs. They begin to die.
• The body’s immune system helps clear away the dead cancer cells.
Weeks 2-3 – Recovery Period:
• During this time, the body gets rid of the dead cancer cells.
• Healthy cells that were affected by the chemotherapy (like blood cells or hair cells) start to recover.
• You may feel side effects like fatigue or nausea, but the body is also healing.
Cycle Repeats (Weeks 4-6):
• After a short break, another cycle of BEP starts, repeating the process.
• This is done to make sure any remaining cancer cells that survived the first round are destroyed.
• Over multiple cycles, most, if not all, of the cancer cells are killed.
This time-lapse shows how BEP chemotherapy, over several cycles, weakens and kills cancer cells by damaging their DNA and stopping their ability to grow.
What is BEP chemotherapy’s origins
1. Cisplatin:
• Origin: Discovered in the 1960s by Dr. Barnett Rosenberg, a chemist, while studying how electric fields affect bacteria.
• How: While experimenting with electricity and platinum electrodes, Dr. Rosenberg noticed that platinum compounds stopped bacteria from dividing. He realized this could work against rapidly dividing cancer cells.
• Developed As: Cisplatin became one of the first effective chemotherapy drugs for cancer. It’s now widely used, especially for testicular and ovarian cancers, and is part of BEP chemotherapy because it is highly effective at damaging cancer DNA.
2. Etoposide:
• Origin: Derived from a compound found in the mayapple plant (Podophyllum peltatum), a type of herb native to North America.
• How: The active substance, called podophyllotoxin, was known to have toxic effects on dividing cells. Scientists modified it to create Etoposide, which specifically targets an enzyme involved in DNA replication.
• Developed As: Etoposide was introduced in the 1980s and became a powerful chemotherapy agent. By blocking the enzyme topoisomerase II, it prevents cancer cells from unwinding their DNA, leading to cell death.
3. Bleomycin:
• Origin: Discovered in 1966 by a Japanese scientist, Dr. Hamao Umezawa, from a type of soil bacteria called Streptomyces verticillus.
• How: Bleomycin is a natural product made by these bacteria. It was found to be effective at causing breaks in the DNA of cancer cells, especially in cancers like lymphoma, squamous cell carcinomas, and testicular cancer.
• Developed As: It was later purified and developed as a chemotherapy drug due to its ability to damage DNA selectively in rapidly dividing cells, like cancer cells, without affecting many other normal cells.
Summary:
• Cisplatin was discovered by accident during lab research on bacteria.
• Etoposide comes from a natural compound found in the mayapple plant.
• Bleomycin is a natural substance produced by a type of soil bacteria.
These three drugs, from different sources, are combined in BEP therapy to attack cancer cells from multiple angles, making it a highly effective treatment.