Autism Treatment Might Be Possible With Cancer Drugs? Clinical Trial Set To Determine Effects

Experts who have been studying the connection between autism and cancer might have cracked something big that could pave way for the development of an autism treatment. These medical scientists are looking into cancer drugs for the answers.

Since the increase of autism diagnosis two decades ago, a known permanent cure for autism has not yet been discovered. Those who have the condition, however, manage their symptoms based on specific needs and individualized therapies.

The Atlantic, however, recently published a feature on Dr. Charis Eng of the Cleveland Clinic. She is a cancer expert who specializes in genomic studies and she has found connections linking cancer drugs to treating autism.

From her studies with autism expert Dr. Thomas Frazier, Eng learned that several autism genes might also be cancer genes. Other experts have also done studies to the connections and they drew almost the same conclusions as Eng.

Researchers have learned that while autism could develop from environmental triggers, genetics is also a factor. Gene mutation can either be germline (inborn) or somatic (after birth).

The characteristics of autism genes can be both germline and somatic. Cancer, on the other hand, is a somatic mutation and this is where researchers found the links to autism from studying cases of patients with genetic cancer disorders, as reported by Spectrum.

Eng and Frazier plan to conduct an "everolimus trial" to test rapamycin, a type of cancer drug compound, among people with PTEN-ASD, an autism condition. Their team is currently looking for children and adults from 6 to 21, who will be asked to medicate for six months. The study, however, is expected to last for two to three years to determine the drugs' effects.

Eng's team will also study other cancer drugs that are either shelved or currently in the market, which could help in their trial. "In a wild, wild scenario, maybe their autism symptoms get better," her co-researcher Frazier said.