Evidence map›Paper›PMID 33337537›Full record

SynthesisAdvances in therapy2021

Naltrexone's Impact on Cancer Progression and Mortality: A Systematic Review of Studies in Humans, Animal Models, and Cell Cultures.

Karina Liubchenko, Kevin Kordbacheh, Nika Khajehdehi, Tanja Visnjevac, Frederick Ma, James S Khan, Myles Storey, Alaa Abd-Elsayed, Ognjen Visnjevac

Abstract readSystematic Review
PubMed Publisher
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Advances in therapy, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 5 papers.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
5citing papers in PubMed
1.1field-weighted citation impact, top 23% of its field
1 · What the graph read from it

What it found

Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.

The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.

2 · The registry

The trial behind it

Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.

Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.

3 · Its place in the literature

Who cites it

5 citing papers in PubMed, 13 citations in OpenAlex.

  1. Review
  2. Article
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  4. Review
  5. Article
4 · The record

Corrections and comments

PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.

5 · Who and what money

Authors and funding

9 authors at 4 institutions in 2 countries.

Karina LiubchenkoSchulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Kevin KordbachehSchulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Nika KhajehdehiSchulich School of Medicine, Western University, London, ON, Canada.
Tanja VisnjevacBloor Pain Specialists, Toronto, ON, Canada.
Frederick MaBloor Pain Specialists, Toronto, ON, Canada.
James S KhanDepartment of Anesthesia and Pain Medicine, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada.
Myles StoreyUniversity of Wisconsin-Madison, Madison, WI, USA.
Alaa Abd-ElsayedDepartment of Anesthesiology, School of Medicine and Public Health, University of Wisconsin, Madison, WI, USA. abdelsayed@wisc.edu.
Ognjen VisnjevacDepartment of Anesthesiology, Faculty of Health Sciences, McMaster University, Hamilton, Canada.
Western University · CAUniversity of Wisconsin–Madison · USMcMaster University · CAMount Sinai Hospital · CA

Funding

No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.

6 · The paper itself

Abstract

backgroundNaltrexone (NTX) is an opioid antagonist traditionally used as a treatment for alcohol and opioid use disorders, but various studies have documented its involvement in cancer progression, exploring possible anticancer potential, when administered at high doses or as low dose naltrexone (LDN). Herein we present a systematic review of cancer-related outcomes from case reports, clinical trials, and retrospective and prospective studies conducted using cell cultures, animal models, and human subjects receiving NTX/LDN.

methodsA systematic search of NTX in cancer therapy was conducted. Outcomes including tumor size and number, latency to tumor development, survival duration, progression of disease, and scan results were assessed in clinical and animal studies, and cell number was used as the outcome measure of culture studies.

resultsSeveral case reports demonstrate notable survival durations and metastatic resolutions in patients with late stage cancer when administered an average LDN dose of 3-5 mg/day. Animal and cell culture studies suggest an overarching principle of NTX involvement in cancer pharmacophysiology, suggesting that high doses and continuous administration can foster cancer progression, whereas low doses and intermittent treatment may hinder cell proliferation, impede tumorigenesis, and have potential anticancer efficacy.

conclusionThis review emphasizes the value of potential future research on NTX in cancer therapy, and warrants need for a better understanding of underlying mechanisms. Future controlled studies with more robust sample sizes, particularly in humans, are needed to fully elucidate its potential in cancer therapy.

Indexed as

NaltrexoneNeoplasmsAnimalsCell Culture TechniquesHumansModels, AnimalNarcotic AntagonistsProspective StudiesRetrospective StudiesNaltrexoneNarcotic AntagonistsAdjuvantChemotherapyNaltrexoneNeoplasm metastasesNeoplasmsSurvival

Identifiers

PMID33337537
OpenAlexW3111560043

What OpenQuestion holds

Textmetadata
Read underepoch 390

Registered trials

None linked

Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.