Researchers believe that patients with neurofibromatosis 2 (NF2), a hereditary disorder where tumors grow along nerves, may benefit from taking lopinavir and ritonavir.
Although the tumors are often not malignant, they can nevertheless result in symptoms such ringing in the ears, balance issues, and hearing loss.
Patients may experience chronic headaches and weakness in their limbs if they are located in the brain, spinal cord, or along the nerves supplying the arms and legs.
The only available treatment for NF2, which affects roughly one in 25,000 to 40,000 people, is surgery.
For the first time, a 12-person experiment will examine lab findings demonstrating that HIV medications can reduce and slow down NF2.
According to previous research, they might potentially be beneficial for different kinds of brain tumors.
The trial is being led by Professor Oliver Hanemann of the University of Plymouth’s Brain Tumour Research Centre of Excellence.
“This could be the first step towards a systemic treatment for tumours related to NF2, both for patients who have inherited NF2 and developed multiple tumours, as well as patients who have a one-off NF2 mutation and have developed a tumour as a result,” he stated.
