Heparins could fight lung cancer, says study

Heparins have a direct effect on inhibiting lung cancer cell proliferation, according to an in vitro study by researchers at the University of Pisa in Italy, as reported at the European Respiratory Society conference, in Berlin, Germany.

The scientists cultured cells from two cancer cell lines, A549 and Calu-6, in the presence of various concentrations of unfractionated heparin, as well as of the low-molecular-weight heparins nadroparin and enoxaparin and the synthetic pentasaccharide fondaparinux. All the treatment groups displayed a reduction in the proliferation of cells in both cell lines, up to 50% at some doses.