Chemistry
Anti-Cancer Drugs
Anti-cancer drugs are medications used to treat cancer by inhibiting the growth and spread of cancer cells. They work through various mechanisms, such as targeting specific molecules involved in cancer cell growth or interfering with the cell division process. These drugs can be administered through different routes, including oral, intravenous, or topical application, and are often used in combination with other cancer treatments.
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9 Key excerpts on "Anti-Cancer Drugs"
eBook - PDF- Sivakumar Joghi Thatha Gowder(Author)
- 2014(Publication Date)
- IntechOpen(Publisher)
Several studies have been carried out to prevent and treat cancers. Che‐ moprevention is defined as pharmacological intervention with synthetic or naturally occurring compounds that may inhibit or prevent carcinogenesis [4]. Cancer treatment involves surgery, radiation and drugs. Surgery-the first line of therapy, is used for early stage of cancer. Radiotherapy is most often applied in a localised setting and conjunction with surgical procedures. The last one, drugs are implemented with chemotherapy (CTX), which employs a wide group of drugs that have cytotoxic effects. The anticancer drugs inhibit cell division and proliferation and are less selectivity towards cancer cells. Thus, these drugs not only destroy cancer cells but also destroy normal cells. In this chapter “Anti Cancer Drug: Friend or Foe” we have evaluated the beneficial and harmful effects of anticancer drugs. 2. Anticancer drugs — Benefical effects Anticancer or chemotherapy drugs are chemicals that can denature cancer cells by arresting their growth. Though anticancer drugs affect dividing cancer cells, normal cells are also affected in the course of the event. The most affected cells are: • bone marrow, • gonads (sex organs), © 2014 The Author(s). Licensee InTech. This chapter is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0), which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited. • gastrointestinal tract, and • skin (hair follicle cells) . In addition to the above organs, liver and kidneys (slow proliferating cells) are affected since they are the organs of metabolism or target organs of toxicity. Today, more than 100 different drugs have been used for chemotherapy, either alone or in combination with other treatments. For several years, the most effective drugs used in chemotherapy were considered to be DNA damaging agents [5].
eBook - ePub- Xin-Yuan Liu, Sidney Pestka, Yu-Fang Shi, Yu-fang Shi(Authors)
- 2012(Publication Date)
- Elsevier(Publisher)
Afterward, the basic antitumor drugs changed periodically. Some old drugs were replaced by new agents or more effective compounds. Recently, a number of targeted drugs and bio-therapeutic agents have also been included.In recent years, the knowledge concerning the nature of cancer has increased greatly, and molecular oncology, molecular pharmacology, genetic engineering, and other disciplines make the scope of anticancer drug research much broader. In particular, many new targets interfering with tumor growth and metastasis have been disclosed. Based on new findings and by means of new methods and techniques, many new drugs including cytostatic agents, tyrosine-kinase inhibitors, angiogenesis inhibitors, anti-signal transduction drugs, antineoplastic antibodies, differentiation-inducing agents, new generations of antimetabolites, and cytotoxic agents have been developed. Some Chinese research laboratories and pharmaceutical plants actively take part in collaborative work with foreign pharmaceutical companies and other organizations; many new findings and drug preparations already have been discovered. At present, nearly all new anticancer drugs can be found in Chinese pharmaceutical markets and clinical hospitals. Thousands of scientific papers related to investigation and production of different antitumor agents are published in journals, books, or online in network annually by Chinese specialists. Many important contributions in this field can be found through different channels. Here, we will review some achievements obtained in China which are more closely related to our work (Tables 12.3 and 12.4
- Chi-Jen Lee, Lucia H. Lee, Christopher L. Wu, Benjamin R. Lee, Mei-Ling Chen(Authors)
- 2005(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
Agents with a wide variety of classes and mechanisms of action have been employed to treat cancer (see Table 29.1). 2,3 These include agents that directly destroy proliferating cells (such as inhibitors of DNA replication or transcription, antimetabolic agents, tubulin-binding agents, mem-brane-active agents, or inhibitors of reparases). Other agents indirectly affect neoplastic cells (such as cytokines or immune-stimulating agents). Certain agents target genes or proteins known to be involved in the development or maintenance of cancer (e.g., hormonal agents, tyrosine kinase inhibitors, monoclonal antibodies, gene therapy). Through the increased use of pharmacogenomic approaches, new targets in cancer are being discovered, identified, and moved into the early stages of drug development more rapidly. These include targets outside of cells, such as receptor ligands and cell surface proteins (e.g., receptors), as well as various proteins or enzymes within the cell plasma, mitochondria, or nucleus. Finally, other modalities are employed to treat cancer, the most frequent example being ionizing radiation, which acts by damaging DNA. The term “cytotoxic” is often used loosely to indicate an agent that has specific or nonspecific cell-killing activity, while “cytostatic” has been used to refer to an agent that causes disruption of cell growth but not necessarily sudden cell death. Many of the new molecularly targeted agents are considered to have cytostatic activity, which could result in prolonged, chronic treatment with less toxicity. This trend may result in evolution of the field of oncology drug development away from traditional toxic cytotoxic therapies toward treatment paradigms more similar to those of other therapeutic areas.
- David E. Thurston, David E. Thurston(Authors)
- 2006(Publication Date)
- CRC Press(Publisher)
For example, one recent success is the development of an anti-HPV vaccine which, when given to young females, appears to virtually eradicate the risk of cervical cancer in later life. 1.7.5 C HEMOTHERAPY Chemotherapy involves the use of low-molecular-weight drugs to selectively destroy a tumor or at least limit its growth. Nitrogen mustards were the fi rst agents to be used clinically; their use resulted from the accidental discovery that the mustard gas Introduction to Cancer 15 used in World War II had antileukemic properties. Since then, important advances have been made in the development of new anticancer drugs. For example, cisplatin, which was also discovered serendipitously, provided a major advance in the treatment of testicular and ovarian carcinomas, and the more recent discovery of imatinib (Gleevec™) has led to very high response rates in chronic phase Philadelphia-chromosome-positive CML patients. One advantage of chemotherapy is that, after intravenous administration, low-molecular-weight drugs distribute throughout most tissues of the body and so can kill tumor cells in protected areas (e.g., the brain) or those cells in the process of metastases. However, the disadvantages of many cytotoxic agents include unpleasant side effects, such as bone marrow suppression, GI tract lesions, hair loss, nausea, and the rapid development of clinical resistance. The side effects occur because cytotoxic agents, such as DNA-interactive drugs, tubulin inhibitors, and antimetab-olites, act on both tumor cells (often triggering apoptosis) and healthy cells. Their mechanisms of action include a differentially faster uptake and action in the more rapidly dividing cancer cells. Alternative mechanisms include, in the case of DNA-interactive agents, the lack of ability of cancer cells to repair DNA adducts. The side effects re fl ect the fact that cells of the bone marrow, GI tract, and hair follicles divide at a faster rate than most healthy tissues.
- Chakraborty, Chiranjib, Biplab Sarkar(Authors)
- 2021(Publication Date)
- Daya Publishing House(Publisher)
We have cited a comparison between synthetic and plant derived anti cancer drugs. In addition, we have provided evidence that cancer is a preventable disease that requires major lifestyle changes. Keywords: Synthetic drugs, Natural anti cancer agents, Medicinal plants . This ebook is exclusively for this university only. Cannot be resold/distributed. Introduction Cancer is a frightful disease and is one of the chief killers now-a-days. It is a class of diseases in which a group of cells display uncontrolled growth, invasion and destruction of adjacent tissues. Cancer may affect people at all ages, even foetuses, but the risk for most varieties increases with age. Cancer causes about 13 per cent of all human deaths. According to the American Cancer Society, 7.6 million people died from cancer in the world during 2007. Mainly cancerous cells have two properties, (1) reproduce in defiance of the normal restrains on cell division and (2) invade and colonize territories normally reserved for other cells. Combination of these actions makes cancers peculiarly dangerous. An isolated abnormal cell whose proliferation is out of control, will give rise to a tumor or neoplasm –a relentlessly growing mass of abnormal cells. As long as the neoplastic cells remain clustered together in a single mass, the tumor is said to be benign and when its cells have acquired the ability to invade surrounding tissue, considered as malignant. The property of invasiveness usually implies an ability to break, loose, enter the bloodstream or lymphatic vessels and form secondary tumors called metastasis at other sites of the body. Today, the Greek term carcinoma is the medical term for a malignant tumour derived from epithelial cells. It is Celsus who translated carcinos into the Latin cancer , also meaning crab. Galen used “ oncos ” to describe all tumours, the root for the modern word oncology.
eBook - PDF- Edward S. Greenwald(Author)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Butterworth-Heinemann(Publisher)
CHAPTER I PHARMACOLOGY OF CANCER CHEMOTHERAPY The pharmacology of cancer chemotherapy is a fascinating field, for it touches on the most basic processes of life. To understand the mechanism of action of the anticancer drugs, one must understand the recent advances in molecular biology. While molecular biology has contributed greatly to our understanding of cancer chemotherapy, the debt is mutual. Actino-mycin-D,a powerful tumoricidal agent, is a valuable tool in study-ing the mechanism of action of hormones and other substances. The reason for this will be discussed later in this chapter. In a book such as this, aimed at the clinician, details of pharmacology cannot be included. The author's aim in this chapter is to whet the reader's appetite. An outline of the pharmacology of the chemotherapeutic drugs will be given. Stress will be placed on those aspects of immediate practical value, and enough basic science will be included to provide an outline for further study. Therefore, this chapter's bibliography will contain mainly review articles. Original references must be obtained by consulting these review articles, however some of the more interesting original references will be discussed. The pharmacology of the steroid hormones will be discussed briefly in Chapter 9. In addition to mechanism of action, traditional pharmacology (absorption, excretion, distribution and metabolism of the drugs) will be discussed. Unfortunately, these areas of the pharmacology have not been explored extensively. For this latter area, the chapter in the new Goodman and Gilman textbook of pharmacology is especially recommended. Calabrese and Welch 1 have done a superb job of collecting the available data. A recent review by Oliverio and Zubrod 2 is also highly recommended. 13 14 Cancer Chemotherapy In order to present the mechanism of action of the cancer chemotherapeutic agents, a preliminary outline of some basic biochemistry is needed.
eBook - ePubDrug Discovery
Practices, Processes, and Perspectives
- Jie Jack Li, E. J. Corey, Jie Jack Li, E. J. Corey(Authors)
- 2013(Publication Date)
- Wiley(Publisher)
An increased understanding of the molecular, structural, and biological features of tumors is necessary for a productive development of drugs in targeted therapies. The various drugs mentioned and discussed in this chapter represent some of the important therapies that are being used in the treatment of cancer. Since the discovery of the nitrogen mustard compounds as anticancer agents in the 1940s, cancer therapy has come a long way. The field of targeted therapies in cancer has witnessed great developments, primarily due to the safety and efficacy of the treatment. Given the complexity of cancer, it is evident that research in pursuit of developing better cancer drugs with minimal side effects and clinical resistance will continue in the future.References
1. http://www.cdc.gov/Features/WorldCancerDay , accessed April 2012.2. Shewach, D. Chem. Rev. 2009, 109, 2859.3. Jemal, A.; Bray, F.; Center, M. M.; Ferlay, J.; Ward, E.; Forman, D. CA Cancer J. Clin. 2011, 61, 69.4. Mattmann, M. E.; Stoops, S. L.; Lindsley, C. W. Expert Opin. Ther. Pat. 2011, 21, 1309.5. Anand, P.; Kunnumakara, A. B.; Sundaram, C.; Harikumar, K. B.; Tharakan, S. T.; Lai, O. S.; Sung, B.; Aggarwal, B. B. Pharm. Res. 2008, 25, 2097.6. Irigaray, P.; Newby, J. A.; Clapp, R.; Hardell, L.; Howard, V.; Montagnier, L.; Epstein, S.; Belpomme, D. Biomed. Pharmacother. 2007, 61, 640.7. Cancer Facts & Figures 2011. http://www.cancer.org/acs/groups/content/@epidemiologysurveilance/documents/document/acspc-029771.pdf , accessed April 2012.8. Corey, E. J.; Czakó, B.; Kürti, L. Molecules and Medicine, 1st ed.; Wiley Interscience: Hoboken, NJ, 2007; pp. 184–200.9. Croce, C. M. N. Engl. J. Med. 2008, 358, 502.10. Li, J. J. Laughing Gas, Viagra, and Lipitor: The Human Stories Behind The Drugs We Use, 1st ed.; Oxford University Press: New York, NY, 2006; Chapter 1.11. Pratt, W. B.; Ruddon, R. W.; Ensminger, W. D.; Maybaum, J. The Anticancer Drugs, 2nd ed.; Oxford University Press: New York, NY, 1994.12. Sawyers, C. Nature 2004, 432, 294.13. Gerber, D. E. Am. Fam. Phys. 2008, 77, 311.14. Kompis, I. M.; Islam, K.; Then, R. L. Chem. Rev. 2005, 105, 593.15. McGuire, J. J. Curr. Pharm. Des. 2003, 9, 2593.16. Baldwin, C. M.; Perry, C. M. Drugs 2009, 69, 2279.17. Lansigan, F.; Foss, F. M. Drugs 2010, 70, 273.18. Parker, W. B. Chem. Rev.
- H. J. Smith, Hywel Williams(Authors)
- 2016(Publication Date)
- Butterworth-Heinemann(Publisher)
Chapter 6 The chemotherapy of cancer 6.1 Introduction 6.1.1 Nature of the disease 6.1.1.1 Excessive cell proliferation 6.1.1.2 Loss of tissue-specific characteristics 6.1.1.3 Invasiveness 6.1.1.4 Metastasis 6.1.2 Factors influencing the success of chemotherapy 6.1.2.1 The ability to detect tumours clinically 6.1.2.2 The numbers of malignant cells present 6.1.2.3 The cell cycle 6.1.3 Difficulties encountered in chemotherapy 6.1.3.1 Preclinical testing 6.1.3.2 Accessibility of diseased cells 6.1.3.3 Drug resistance 6.1.3.4 Sanctuary sites 6.1.3.5 Selective toxicity 6.1.4 Chemotherapeutic agents 6.2 Biological alkylating agents 6.2.1 Nitrogen mustards 6.2.1.1 Mode of action 6.2.1.2 Latent activity 6.2.2 Nitrosoureas 6.2.3 Triazenoimidazoles 6.2.4 Hydrazine derivatives 6.2.5 Methanesulphonic esters 6.3 Plant products 6.4 Enzymes 6.5 Antibiotics 6.6 Hormones 6.6.1 Introduction 6.6.2 Oestrogens 6.6.3 Progestogens 6.6.4 Androgens 6.6.5 Corticosteroids 6.7 Combination chemotherapy 6.8 Summary 6.9 Interferon See also Antimetabolites (Section 4.3.2, 4.3.3 and 4.3.4) DNA intercalators (Section 3.5.3) Platinum complexes (Section 5.1.8) Further reading 165 166 INTRODUCTION TO THE PRINCIPLES OF DRUG DESIGN The chemotherapy of cancer 6.1 INTRODUCTION About 180000 new cases of cancer occur each year in the U.K. and the annual number of deaths from cancers of all kinds is about 130000. This constitutes approximately 20% of all U.K. deaths. The proportion of hospital beds occupied by cancer patients is considerable. Aspects of this disease which still present a formidable challenge to medicinal chemists and clinicians, who need to translate new discoveries into practice, will first be considered. 6.1.1 Nature of the disease Cancer is a disease of cells characterized by a reduction, or loss of effectiveness, in normal cellular control and maturation mechanisms which regulate multiplication.
- Jolanta Natalia Latosinska, Magdalena Latosinska, Jolanta Natalia Latosinska, Magdalena Latosinska(Authors)
- 2017(Publication Date)
- IntechOpen(Publisher)
Although chemotherapeutics significantly leads to regression of the primary tumor, some investigations even report that it may also promote and enhance metastatic formation of a secondary tumor [ 15, 16]. Besides, metastatic cancers are dem-onstrated to be largely resistant against chemotherapeutics. Despite that various approaches have been applied to treat metastatic cancers, the clinical outcomes of metastatic cancer treat -ment are still not at a satisfactory level. Therefore, it is urgently essential to develop more effec -tive therapeutic methods with minimal adverse effects for metastatic cancer treatment. Unique Aspects of Anti-cancer Drug Development 116 Traditional medicine, such as Chinese medicine, has been shown to exhibit various phar -macological activities and used in treatment of various diseases in Asian countries and regions for a long time [ 17 ]. The numerous natural compounds obtained from Chinese medicines chemically range from flavonoids and polyphenols to mineral salts, which have been reported to be an excellent source for anti-cancer agents [ 18 ]. Owing to their long- lasting efficacy, diversity in biological activities, and low toxicity, natural active products from Chinese medicines, including single compounds and various extracts, are being developed for treatment of metastatic cancer [ 19, 20]. In line with such a concept, sev-eral natural active products from Chinese medicines have been currently investigated as a complementary and alternative approach, and their anti-metastatic properties have been focused to find newly discovered mechanisms with the hope to promote the therapeutic index of metastatic cancer. With the rapid development of molecular biology techniques, the molecular mechanisms underlying the effects of potential anti-invasive and metastatic Chinese medicines are gradu -ally elucidated. Understanding of the underlying molecular mechanisms may in turn lead to the discovery of novel anticancer drugs.
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