Evidence map›Paper›PMID 40343490›Full record

SynthesisJournal of cancer research and clinical oncology2025

Repurposing tranexamic acid as an anticancer drug: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Karoline Assifuah Kristjansen, Nulvin Djebbara-Bozo, Kumanan Rune Nanthan, Marie Louise Bønnelykke-Behrndtz

Abstract readSystematic ReviewMeta-Analysis
In one paragraph

Synthesis in Journal of cancer research and clinical oncology, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 1 paper.

0numbers the graph read from it
0cells of the map it votes in
1citing papers in PubMed
–field-weighted citation impact
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

1 citing paper in PubMed.

  1. 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

4 authors.

Karoline Assifuah KristjansenDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark. karoline_kristjansen@clin.au.dk.
Nulvin Djebbara-BozoDepartment of Plastic Surgery and Burns Treatment, Copenhagen University Hospital, Rigshospitalet, Blegdamsvej 9, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark.
Kumanan Rune NanthanDepartment of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery and Audiology, Aalborg University Hospital, Søndre Skovvej 3, 9000, Aalborg, Denmark.
Marie Louise Bønnelykke-BehrndtzDepartment of Clinical Medicine, Aarhus University, Palle Juul-Jensens Boulevard 99, 8200, Aarhus N, Denmark.

Funding

Kræftens Bekæmpelse R325-A19066
6 · The paper itself

Abstract

purposeDrug repurposing may be an efficient strategy for identifying new cancer treatments. Tranexamic acid (TXA), an antifibrinolytic agent that affects the plasminogen-plasmin pathway, may have potential anticancer effects by influencing tumor cell proliferation, angiogenesis, inflammation, immune response, and tissue remodeling-all crucial processes contributing to tumor progression and metastasis.

objectiveEvaluate TXA's anticancer effects across in vitro, animal, and clinical studies to assess its potential as a repurposed cancer drug.

methodsThe study was designed as a PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis. The literature search was conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library. In vitro, animal, and clinical studies investigating the anticancer effects of TXA or epsilon-aminocaproic acid (EACA) were included. Animal and clinical studies were critically appraised, and studies with a low risk of bias were included in the meta-analysis.

resultsOf 4367 identified records, 38 articles were included, collectively reporting findings from 41 in vitro studies, 34 animal studies (n = 843 animals), and seven clinical studies (n = 91 patients). The meta-analysis included nine animal studies and showed a tumor growth reduction in animals treated with TXA compared to controls with a standardized mean difference of - 1.0 (95%CI - 1.5; - 0.4) (p = 0.0002). Equivalently, the majority of in vitro studies reported reduced proliferation, viability, and invasiveness in TXA-exposed tumor cell lines. The clinical studies were considerably susceptible to bias, rendering any conclusions futile.

conclusionsTXA shows promise as a repurposed cancer drug, revealing an overall reduction in tumor growth, viability, and invasiveness in animal and in vitro studies.

Indexed as

Antineoplastic AgentsDrug RepositioningNeoplasmsTranexamic AcidAnimalsAntifibrinolytic AgentsCell ProliferationHumansAntifibrinolytic AgentsAntineoplastic AgentsTranexamic AcidAnticancer agentsAntifibrinolyticsCancer therapyDrug repurposingSystematic reviewTranexamic acid

Identifiers

PMID40343490
PMCPMC12064463

What OpenQuestion holds

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Registered trials

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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.