Dichloroacetate

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Structural formula of dychloroacetic acid.

A dichloroacetate is any salt of the dichloroacetic acid (DCA). This class of chemical compounds have been making the news since 2007, when a study showed that they might be a cheap cure for cancer. In this context "DCA" or "dichloroacetate" usually refers to sodium dichloroacetate. The story has been slowly evolving since then, but there's still not enough evidence that DCA is a safe and effective cancer cure in humans.

As DCA is a relatively simple and easy to obtain, some cancer patients have started self-medicating. (Bad idea for a number of reasons, including the fact that it appears to be toxic in large doses.) A cottage industry of enterpreneurs quacks has sprung up to supply them. At least one US website selling DCA to patients has been shut down by the FDA.

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