Botox Cosmetic is everywhere. Its valiant fight against wrinkles has made Botox the number one nonsurgical cosmetic procedure in the country. To top that off, Botox has been shown to decrease hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating), and improve a variety of physical issues, such as an overactive bladder. As if that wasn’t enough, researchers have just announced the biggest use for Botox could hold the cure for cancer.
A study, recently published in the journal Science Translational Medicine, shows that Botox Cosmetic can be helpful in fighting off the progression of stomach cancer. Dr. Timothy Wang, of Columbia University, and Dr. Duan Chen, of Norwegian University, state that Botox can eliminate the nerve signals to the stomach. When the effects of the nerves are eliminated, the cancer cells will become suppressed. Although the theory has only been tested on mice, the positive results mean that researchers will start testing on humans soon.
Other methods to cut the connection between nerves and stomach cells were tried out in this study, as well, each time with promising results. However, Botox is beneficial over other treatment methods, as a session will take only a few hours and requires no overnight hospital stay. Less expensive and with fewer side effects than other cancer treatments, Botox is attainable for most all patients. “We believe this is a good treatment because it can be used locally, and it targets the cancer cells,” said Chen.
The initial finding that Botox Cosmetic could be effective in cancer treatment is an exciting breakthrough, opening up more possibilities. Additionally, the nerve-tumor connection is seen with other solid tumors, such as that in prostate cancer. Research will soon be underway to examine if Botox is an option for these as well.
While Botox as a cancer treatment is not yet on the market, you can still benefit from its wrinkle-reducing abilities. To have your aesthetic Botox Cosmetic questions answered, contact Dr. Paul Vitenas at (281) 407-9549. As a Board Certified Plastic Surgeon, he has more than 25 years of experience with both cosmetic and reconstructive procedures. He is widely considered one of the best Botox Cosmetic providers in the Houston area.
