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Is DCA (Dichloroacetate) a Cure for Cancer?

In 2007, Canadian researchers published preliminary data on the effects a compound called dichloroacetate (DCA) in treating cancer. While this information was initially very promising, little official progress has been made in determining what role DCA could have in fighting potentially terminal cancers, such as brain cancer (glioblastoma multiforme), breast cancer and lung cancer, because there is virtually no funding available for clinical research in the United States. That said, DCA is commercially accessible and may be used successfully in cancer treatment protocols, but it should always be used under the care of a physician.

  1. The Facts

    • DCA is a chemical compound that is analogous to the common household product acetic acid (vinegar). According to the FDA, it has been approved in the United States to treat a genetic gastrointestinal disease called lactic acidosis. DCA treats this disease by inhibiting sugar from being metabolized in the mitochondria of cells, according to a paper published by the University of Florida. In a similar way, DCA was expected to fight cancer cells, which require glucose to produce energy.

    Function

    • Dr. Evangelos Michelakis at the University of Alberta, a Canadian university, conducted a study based on the idea that DCA might be able to "repair" the mitochondria of cancer cells (where glucose is converted into energy through a process called glycolosis), and cause apoptosis, or "programmed cell death"--something that happens to normal cells regularly, but not cancer cells. His preliminary research, which was published in 2007, indicated that DCA was able to cause several types of cancerous tumors to shrink. Since then, further research has been done in other countries, especially Canada; however, as of August 2009, financial limitations prevent DCA from becoming a mainstream option for cancer treatment in the United States.

    Limitations

    • Because it has been FDA-approved to treat lactic acidosis for over 30 years, DCA cannot be patented by a pharmaceutical company in the United States. Further, the FDA drug-approval process requires large amounts of money, and without a patentable product, pharmaceutical companies do not stand to earn any money by investing in clinical trials. For this reason, there is little to no research being done with DCA as a viable cancer treatment in the United States.

    Warning

    • DCA is available for purchase in other countries, including Canada; however, it can be difficult to find a doctor who is willing to prescribe this drug or monitor its usage. Yet it is very important that this drug be taken under the supervision of a physician. First, it must be prepared properly. Industrial-strength DCA is a very strong acid, and should never be administered in pure form. It must be buffered with sodium (this is often available for purchase as sodium dichloroacetate). Also, although DCA is relatively low in toxicity, it is important to monitor the patient's liver enzymes and blood work, to avoid complications.

    Potential

    • Despite decades of research by countless institutions all over the world, most cancers continue to be fundamentally incurable, and the treatments available for most of them are often very toxic. While chemotherapies can prolong life in cancer patients, they also have the devastating side effect of reducing the quality of life in many of these individuals. DCA, however, has the significant benefit of being very tolerable to most patients. When it is prepared and administered correctly, its side effects include almost none of those associated with chemotherapy and radiation. If it is ultimately proven to be effective at fighting cancer, it will be a revolutionary drug that will preserve and prolong the quality of life for patients.

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