Thalidomide Tested on Colon Cancer

Thalidomide, a drug notorious for causing birth defects but now being tested against a range of diseases, will also be tested against colon cancer, says Celgene Corp., which owns the rights to it. Celgene said the National Cancer Institute would sponsor the tests. Thalidomide caused severe birth defects when used by pregnant women as a tranquilizer in the 1950s and 1960s. Restrictions on testing and using it are designed to ensure that women who might become pregnant are not exposed. Colon cancer is the third most common form of malignant cancer in the U.S.