Viagra May Reduce Cancer Metastasis, Study Shows; Here's How and Why
Sildenafil, the active ingredient in the erectile dysfunction drug Viagra, may help prevent cancer cells from spreading to other parts of the body, according to new research led by the Weizmann Institute of Science.
The active ingredient in Viagra may help reduce the spread of cancer by limiting cancer cells' access to cholesterol, according to a new study by researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel. Published in the journal Cancer Research, the study found that sildenafil could interfere with a newly identified biological pathway involved in cancer metastasis—the process through which cancer spreads from the primary tumour to other organs. Researchers cautioned that the findings are based on preclinical research and observational data, and that clinical trials are still needed before sildenafil can be considered a cancer treatment.
How Sildenafil May Slow Cancer Spread
The research team, led by Prof. Ayelet Erez and Dr. Yarden Ariav, discovered that sildenafil prevents cancer cells from effectively using cholesterol, an essential component of cell membranes. The drug causes cholesterol to accumulate inside lysosomes, reducing its availability to cancer cells. Since cancer cells depend on cholesterol to detach from the original tumour, migrate through the body and establish new tumours, restricting its supply makes metastasis more difficult in laboratory and animal models. National Viagra Day Date in the United States: Know Aim and Significance of the Day That Marks Introduction of Famous Pharmaceutical Breakthroughs in Modern Medicine.
Why Cholesterol Matters
Researchers identified a previously unknown signalling pathway linking sildenafil to cholesterol regulation inside cells. By disrupting this pathway, sildenafil reduces the amount of usable cholesterol available to cancer cells, impairing their ability to move and invade distant organs.
The team also found that combining sildenafil with statins, which reduce cholesterol production in the body, produced a stronger anti-metastatic effect in preclinical studies. What Is Kamagra? Is It Stronger Than Viagra? Side Effects, Tablet Uses and Other Details To Know About the Unlicensed ‘Indian’ Ed Treatment Tablet.
Findings Supported by Population Data
In addition to laboratory experiments involving mouse models and human cancer cells, the researchers analysed health records from around five million members of Israel's Clalit Health Services.
The observational analysis suggested that cancer patients who had taken sildenafil had better survival rates, particularly those who also used statins. However, the researchers emphasised that the data show an association and do not prove that sildenafil directly improves survival.
More Research Needed
The Weizmann Institute of Science, a leading multidisciplinary research institution in Rehovot, Israel, said the findings open a promising avenue for future cancer therapies. However, scientists stressed that sildenafil is not an approved treatment for cancer, and controlled clinical trials are required to establish its safety and effectiveness in cancer patients. Until then, experts advise against using Viagra for cancer prevention or treatment outside medical supervision.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 03, 2026 09:45 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
