Prozac and other antidepressants could be the newest weapon in the fight against cancer, because they stop the growth of tumors, say scientists.


British researchers found that the widely used drug, Prozac, suppresses tumor growth by almost 90%, and can be used to improve the effectiveness of drugs to fight cancer, says British newspaper, The Daily Telegraph.

Because Prozac has already been tested, may mean that he will go on sale much sooner than if the drug had to undergo countless number of tests, as with other new medicines.

A team of scientists from the University of Birmingham during laboratory tests found that the active ingredient in Prozac, fluoxetine contribute to apoptosis - the natural death of cancer cells.

Further tests in vivo, in patients with leukemia, showed that the drug slowed tumor growth by almost 90%.

Now scientists believe that the results be repeated during full trials of the drug on patients with cancer.