Abstract
Conventional tumor therapy is usually based on surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Treatment with chemotherapeutics is often impeded by dose-limiting toxicities. Therefore, medical scientists sought for tools to improve chemotherapy by directly coupling targeting molecules to cytotoxic substances. This review provides a general overview on the development of targeted drugs designed for tumor therapy. Further carrier-based delivery systems of antitumorigenic drugs will not be described here. The targeting moiety is usually an antibody or a fragment thereof. Growth factors, cytokines and ligands are also used as targeting moiety. The targeting moiety is coupled to the toxic moiety either chemically or both components were combined as fusion proteins. In addition to those targeted molecules containing conventional chemotherapeutics, more sophisticated targeted drugs were developed containing protein toxins, such as diphtheria toxin or Pseudomonas exotoxin. Only a small number of these protein toxins inside tumor cells results in efficient killing of the target cell. Several of these targeted toxins are currently in clinical trials. Another targeting mechanism utilizes the activation of formerly harmless substances in the vicinity of tumor cells. This mechanism is referred to as directed enzyme prodrug therapy.
Keywords: Tumor therapy, cancer, targeted toxins, prodrug
Current Drug Targets
Title: Targeted Tumor Therapies at a Glance
Volume: 10 Issue: 2
Author(s): H. Fuchs and C. Bachran
Affiliation:
Keywords: Tumor therapy, cancer, targeted toxins, prodrug
Abstract: Conventional tumor therapy is usually based on surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Treatment with chemotherapeutics is often impeded by dose-limiting toxicities. Therefore, medical scientists sought for tools to improve chemotherapy by directly coupling targeting molecules to cytotoxic substances. This review provides a general overview on the development of targeted drugs designed for tumor therapy. Further carrier-based delivery systems of antitumorigenic drugs will not be described here. The targeting moiety is usually an antibody or a fragment thereof. Growth factors, cytokines and ligands are also used as targeting moiety. The targeting moiety is coupled to the toxic moiety either chemically or both components were combined as fusion proteins. In addition to those targeted molecules containing conventional chemotherapeutics, more sophisticated targeted drugs were developed containing protein toxins, such as diphtheria toxin or Pseudomonas exotoxin. Only a small number of these protein toxins inside tumor cells results in efficient killing of the target cell. Several of these targeted toxins are currently in clinical trials. Another targeting mechanism utilizes the activation of formerly harmless substances in the vicinity of tumor cells. This mechanism is referred to as directed enzyme prodrug therapy.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Fuchs H. and Bachran C., Targeted Tumor Therapies at a Glance, Current Drug Targets 2009; 10 (2) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945009787354557
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945009787354557 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
New drug therapy for eye diseases
Eyesight is one of the most critical senses, accounting for over 80% of our perceptions. Our quality of life might be significantly affected by eye disease, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, etc. Although the development of microinvasive ocular surgery reduces surgical complications and improves overall outcomes, medication therapy is ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Clinical Trials with Oncolytic Measles Virus: Current Status and Future Prospects
Current Cancer Drug Targets Hyperpolarized 13Carbon MR
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Activation of Sphingosine Kinase-1 in Cancer: Implications for Therapeutic Targeting
Current Molecular Pharmacology Physiology and Therapeutics of Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor in Tumor Immunosuppression
Current Molecular Medicine New Indications for Established Drugs: Combined Tumor-Stroma-Targeted Cancer Therapy with PPARγ Agonists, COX-2 Inhibitors, mTOR Antagonists and Metronomic Chemotherapy
Current Cancer Drug Targets Namitecan: a Hydrophilic Camptothecin with a Promising Preclinical Profile
Current Medicinal Chemistry How Do Microtubule-Targeted Drugs Work? An Overview
Current Cancer Drug Targets 4-Methylumbelliferones Analogues as Anticancer Agents: Synthesis and in Cell Pharmacological Studies
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry The Neurokinins: Peptidomimetic Ligand Design and Therapeutic Applications
Current Medicinal Chemistry Marine Derived Bioactive Compounds for Breast and Prostate Cancer Treatment: A Review
Current Bioactive Compounds Dendritoma Vaccine for Cancer: A Hopeful Approach
Current Cancer Therapy Reviews Magnetic Materials for the Selective Analysis of Peptide and Protein Biomarkers
Current Medicinal Chemistry Review on EGFR Inhibitors: Critical Updates
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Efficacy and Safety of the Combination of Docetaxel (Taxotere®) with Targeted Therapies in the Treatment of Solid Malignancies
Current Drug Targets CCNE1 Promotes Progression and is Associated with Poor Prognosis in Lung Adenocarcinoma
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Current Scenario of 1,4-Diazepines as Potent Biomolecules-A Mini Review
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry The Effect of Alcohol on Gastrointestinal Motility
Reviews on Recent Clinical Trials Aberrant DNA Methylation and Prostate Cancer
Current Genomics Small Animal Computed Tomography Imaging
Current Medical Imaging Prospects for Anti-Neoplastic Therapies Based on Telomere Biology
Current Cancer Drug Targets