GHRH Antagonists Show Strong Potential Against Human Ovarian Cancer Growth

Ovarian cancer remains one of the most lethal gynecological malignancies, often diagnosed at advanced stages and characterized by high recurrence rates and resistance to conventional therapies. There is a critical need for novel, targeted treatment strategies that can overcome these challenges and improve patient outcomes. The growth hormone-releasing hormone (GHRH) system, including its receptors, has been implicated in the proliferation and survival of various cancer types. This study specifically investigates whether targeting the GHRH pathway with GHRH antagonists can effectively inhibit the growth of human ovarian cancer.

The study demonstrated significant anti-cancer effects of GHRH antagonists. In vitro, these antagonists effectively inhibited the proliferation and viability of human ovarian cancer cells in a dose-dependent manner. > The most important finding was observed in vivo, where treatment with GHRH antagonists led to a substantial reduction in human ovarian cancer tumor growth, with treated tumors exhibiting a 55% smaller volume (p<0.01) and a 48% lower weight (p<0.005) compared to control tumors. This robust anti-tumor effect was sustained over a 3-week treatment period. Furthermore, the antagonists likely induced programmed cell death, as suggested by a 2-fold increase in apoptosis within the treated tumors. These findings indicate that blocking the GHRH pathway profoundly disrupts cancer cell survival and proliferation.