Current studies have found that taking omeprazole (prilosec) in combination with paclitaxel, will increase the effectiveness of paclitaxel as an anti-cancer agent. Paclitaxel is an effective form of cancer therapy that treats various kinds of cancer from ovarian to lung cancer. Paclitaxel works by promoting the polymerization of microtubules and prevents depolymerization to have a cytotoxic affect on cells (DeAngelis LM, et al., 1995). Omeprazole is a proton pump inhibitor used clinically for gastritis that inhibits V-ATPase and increases the cytotoxicity of chemotherapies such as paclitaxel (Bae DS, et al., 2015).
The metastasis of cancerous cells is known to be the leading cause of mortality in cancer patients. Cancer cell progression and metastasis occurs when the cancerous cells are able to …show more content…
Cancer cells can travel through various mechanisms, for example by entering the circulatory or lymphatic system (Gupta GP, Massaggue J, 2006). Lysosomes play an important role in a cancer cells ability to degrade the extracellular matrix, migrate, and invade other cells. Lysosomes contain various enzymes such as the lysosomal protease cathepsin that function optimally at a low pH. Cathepsin is responsible for some of the degrading and digestion of the extracellular matrix proteins as cancer cells invade other cells. Cathepsin may also activate the secretion of other proteases that assist in the invasion (Bhujawall ZM, et al., 2003). In order for cathepsin to be secreted and function in favor of the cancerous cells, the surrounding environment needs to be acidic. This acidic environment can be produced by V-ATPase located intracellularly and also in the plasma membrane. V-ATPase is a proton pump that regulates intracellular and
The metastasis of cancerous cells is known to be the leading cause of mortality in cancer patients. Cancer cell progression and metastasis occurs when the cancerous cells are able to …show more content…
Cancer cells can travel through various mechanisms, for example by entering the circulatory or lymphatic system (Gupta GP, Massaggue J, 2006). Lysosomes play an important role in a cancer cells ability to degrade the extracellular matrix, migrate, and invade other cells. Lysosomes contain various enzymes such as the lysosomal protease cathepsin that function optimally at a low pH. Cathepsin is responsible for some of the degrading and digestion of the extracellular matrix proteins as cancer cells invade other cells. Cathepsin may also activate the secretion of other proteases that assist in the invasion (Bhujawall ZM, et al., 2003). In order for cathepsin to be secreted and function in favor of the cancerous cells, the surrounding environment needs to be acidic. This acidic environment can be produced by V-ATPase located intracellularly and also in the plasma membrane. V-ATPase is a proton pump that regulates intracellular and