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A team of U.S. scientists developed a Vitamin D pill to treat prostate cancer in advanced stage.

It is known that vitamin D processed after exposure to sunlight improves the prognosis of certain forms of cancer. The drug company Novacea produced a pill which delivers a concentrated dose of the vitamin, which produces no side effects of an overdose. Chemistry and Industry magazine reports that if clinical trials are successful, the drug-Seat (DN-101) - may be available in 2009. See also: Jalapeños against prostate cancer? The drug will be given to patients at an advanced stage of disease, along with chemotherapy drugs. Professor Nick James, a cancer expert at the University of Birmingham, UK, said the drug had produced

impressive results in the preliminary stages of clinical trials. According to James, the patients taking the drug lived an average of nine months longer than those to which they were given only chemotherapy drug taxotere. On average, patients in advanced stages of the disease about 18 months survived. From my point of view, an extension of nine is very significant Nick James, a cancer expert at the University of Birmingham "On average, patients in an advanced stage of the disease survive about 18 months. From my point of view, an extension of nine is very significant," said James. Vitamin D levels Asentar body are between 50 and 100 times higher than normal. According to doctors, patients should take one tablet once a week, along with the weekly regime of taxotere for three weeks in four. No Warranties However, James said it was far from certain that the third phase of the trials would repeat the positive results of the preliminary stages. Phase two used a system less than optimal taxotere. For this reason, the survival rate could have been artificially inflated. The investigator said that since it was known that vitamin D played a key role in the regulation of various tissues, including prostate and breast. James said laboratory tests showed that cancer cells had lost the ability to respond in a normal way to vitamin D and continued dividing uncontrollably. Sensitivity The data indicate that prostate cancer rates are higher in more remote countries of Ecuador, where exposure to sunlight is lower. We welcome any improvement in the treatment of prostate cancer for patients who are at an advanced stage of disease and the drug has shown potential in early clinical trials Julie Sharp, Cancer Research Center UK James believes it is possible that the new drug helped to increase the sensitivity of cancer cells to the effects of other chemicals used in chemotherapy. Dr Julie Sharp, of Cancer Research UK, said: "We would welcome any improvements in the treatment of prostate cancer for patients who are at an advanced stage of disease and the drug has shown potential in early clinical trials. " "But you need the results of a much larger study to fully establish if this treatment is effective and safe." Prostate cancer is the second leading cause of death in men. In the United Kingdom kills one man every hour.