Hydrazine sulfate
Hydrazine sulfate was promoted in the 1970s and 80s to reverse cancer weight loss and prolong life. Three large randomised trials sponsored by the National Cancer Institute found no benefit and more side effects, and the compound is a suspected carcinogen.
Overview
Hydrazine sulfate was proposed to interrupt gluconeogenesis and so starve tumours while preserving the patient's weight, on the basis of small Russian and American studies. Three randomised placebo-controlled trials in the early 1990s in non-small-cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer, together enrolling more than 600 patients, found no improvement in survival, weight or quality of life, and one found worse quality of life; neurotoxicity and hepatorenal toxicity occurred, and hydrazine is a known animal carcinogen. The NCI PDQ summary concludes there is no evidence of benefit. It remains a case study in how small uncontrolled reports create lasting demand.
How it works
Inhibition of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase to block hepatic gluconeogenesis; no clinical effect on cachexia or tumour growth was demonstrated.
- Definitively tested in randomised trials
- No benefit in three randomised trials
- Neurotoxicity, hepatotoxicity
- Suspected carcinogen
Latest papers
topQuery for this technology: (TITLE:"Hydrazine sulfate" OR ABSTRACT:"Hydrazine sulfate") AND (cancer OR tumor OR tumour OR oncology OR carcinoma OR lymphoma OR leukemia OR leukaemia OR myeloma OR sarcoma OR melanoma OR glioma). Results are unfiltered search hits about Hydrazine sulfate, not a curated reading list.
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