Viagra is best known as a treatment for erectile dysfunction. Now, researchers believe its active ingredient, sildenafil, could have another surprising use. An early cancer research study suggests the drug may help slow cancer metastasis, the process by which cancer spreads to other parts of the body. Scientists say sildenafil appears to block tumour cells from accessing cholesterol, which they need to break away and invade new organs. While the findings are encouraging, experts stress that this is still early-stage research and does not mean people with cancer should start taking Viagra without medical advice.
HOW SILDENAFIL MAY SLOW CANCER METASTASIS
The research, published in the journal Cancer Research, was led by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in collaboration with Clalit Health Services in Israel.
Researchers discovered a previously unknown biological pathway showing how sildenafil interferes with cholesterol movement inside cells. Cancer cells rely on cholesterol to detach from the original tumour and spread throughout the body. By limiting that supply, sildenafil may make metastasis more difficult.
WHAT THE HUMAN DATA FOUND
Alongside laboratory work on cancer cells and mice, researchers analysed more than 20 years of anonymised medical records covering around five million people, including over 40,000 men diagnosed with cancer.
The team found that men who had used Viagra before being diagnosed with cancer had better overall survival than those who had not. Survival appeared even better among men who had taken both sildenafil and cholesterol-lowering statins. However, the study did not prove that Viagra caused these better outcomes.
WHY EXPERTS ARE URGING CAUTION
Researchers say the findings are promising but should not be seen as a new cancer treatment.
The study only looked at Viagra use before a cancer diagnosis and did not test whether giving sildenafil after diagnosis improves survival. It also mainly included men, so it remains unclear whether the same effect would be seen in women.
Independent experts say larger clinical trials are needed before sildenafil could become part of standard cancer care. Until then, patients should not start taking Viagra to prevent or treat cancer without consulting their doctor.
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