An association between nicotine and brain metastases has been established.

40% of people with lung cancer have metastases in the brain. However, why non-small cell lung cancer so often spreads to the brain is still unclear.

Scientists have found that nicotine in tobacco helps spread or metastasize lung cancer cells to the brain.

In the course of their work, scientists examined 281 patients with lung cancer and found that the percentage of brain cancer in cigarette smokers was significantly higher. Specialists then used the mouse model and found that nicotine enhances brain metastasis by crossing the blood-brain barrier to change microglia – a type of immune cell in the brain – from a protective to a supportive tumor growth.

Scientists also searched for drugs that could reverse the effects of nicotine, and discovered parthenolide, a natural substance found in medicinal herbs tansy that blocks nicotine-induced metastases in the brain of mice.

Since tansy has been used for many years and is considered safe, scientists believe that the plant can provide a new approach in the fight against brain metastases, especially for patients who have smoked or are still smoking.

“Currently, radiation therapy is the only treatment for this devastating disease. Traditional chemotherapeutic drugs cannot cross the blood-brain barrier, but parthenolide can do this, ”the researchers commented.

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