Nitric Oxide & Canine Cancer

Recent research breakthroughs show promising results in treating canine cancers. In 2009, Dr. Joseph Bauer of the Cleveland Clinic successfully treated several cases by using vitamin B-12 to deliver nitric oxide, a deadly chemotherapy agent, into cancer cells.

  1. Function

    • Nitric oxide is a deadly chemotherapy agent that kills canine cancer cells from within. Vitamin B-12 can be used as a type of "Trojan horse" to deliver the nitric oxide into the cancer cell, according to research conducted by Bauer at the Bauer Research Foundation, without any side effects in treated dogs.

    Process

    • Cancer cells grow and divide at an accelerated pace compared to normal cells. To speed this process, cancer cells produce 100 times more vitamin B-12 receptors than healthy cells. Bauer and his colleagues attached nitric oxide to vitamin B-12, which is absorbed by cancer cells. The nitric oxide kills the cells, and the vitamin B-12 is harmlessly absorbed into the blood stream.

    Significance

    • In 2009, researchers lead by Dr. Joseph Bauer successfully treated four dogs with various types of cancers at various stages of development. By using vitamin B-12 as a vehicle for transporting nitric oxide into afflicted cells, the researchers successfully treated the sick dogs, without any toxic side effects to the dogs. The research is patented and the researchers expect to begin human trials when appropriate.