Best known as Viagra, the erectile dysfunction drug sildenafil started off as a treatment for reduced blood flow but soon saw its value spike after its other effects became clear.

The blue pill could have more uses, according to research by scientists at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Tel Aviv. The team found indications that it curbs cancer metastasis via a “newly discovered biological mechanism” drawing upon the drug’s blood dilatation effects.

Sildenafil curbs the capacity of cancer cells to make use of cholesterol, which the team describes as “an essential component of cellular membranes”.

“Cholesterol is particularly important for cancer cells seeking to break away from the primary tumour, migrate throughout the body and invade distant organs,” the researchers point out. They say if access to cholesterol is limited, the cells in turn “have a harder time forming metastases”.

Viagra’s potential to limit cancer spread could be boosted by using it alongside statins, a widely taken medication that limits cholesterol production.