Biomaterial Database

New anticancer agents: taxol, camptothecin analogs, and anthrapyrazoles. 1992

M J Hawkins

Department of Medicine, Georgetown University Medical Center, Lombardi Cancer Research Center, Washington, DC.

Taxol, an agent with a unique mechanism of action, has been shown to be highly active in patients with refractory ovarian cancer and may well have significant activity in other malignancies such as breast and lung cancer. The camptothecin analogs, another unique class of agents, have demonstrated antitumor activity in phase I and II trials. Finally, the anthrapyrazoles are intercalating agents with clinical activity in breast cancer and a toxicity profile that may permit increased dose intensity using colony-stimulating factor support. While this review focuses on these three drug classes, a number of other agents with apparently unique mechanisms of antitumor activity and unusual dose-limiting toxicities are in earlier development. These include antimetabolites; inhibitors of DNA, RNA, or protein synthesis; differentiating agents; agents that inhibit tumor growth by binding to growth factors; and agents whose mechanism of action is best classified as unknown.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D010051	Ovarian Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the OVARY. These neoplasms can be benign or malignant. They are classified according to the tissue of origin, such as the surface EPITHELIUM, the stromal endocrine cells, and the totipotent GERM CELLS.	Cancer of Ovary,Ovarian Cancer,Cancer of the Ovary,Neoplasms, Ovarian,Ovary Cancer,Ovary Neoplasms,Cancer, Ovarian,Cancer, Ovary,Cancers, Ovarian,Cancers, Ovary,Neoplasm, Ovarian,Neoplasm, Ovary,Neoplasms, Ovary,Ovarian Cancers,Ovarian Neoplasm,Ovary Cancers,Ovary Neoplasm
D001943	Breast Neoplasms	Tumors or cancer of the human BREAST.	Breast Cancer,Breast Tumors,Cancer of Breast,Breast Carcinoma,Cancer of the Breast,Human Mammary Carcinoma,Malignant Neoplasm of Breast,Malignant Tumor of Breast,Mammary Cancer,Mammary Carcinoma, Human,Mammary Neoplasm, Human,Mammary Neoplasms, Human,Neoplasms, Breast,Tumors, Breast,Breast Carcinomas,Breast Malignant Neoplasm,Breast Malignant Neoplasms,Breast Malignant Tumor,Breast Malignant Tumors,Breast Neoplasm,Breast Tumor,Cancer, Breast,Cancer, Mammary,Cancers, Mammary,Carcinoma, Breast,Carcinoma, Human Mammary,Carcinomas, Breast,Carcinomas, Human Mammary,Human Mammary Carcinomas,Human Mammary Neoplasm,Human Mammary Neoplasms,Mammary Cancers,Mammary Carcinomas, Human,Neoplasm, Breast,Neoplasm, Human Mammary,Neoplasms, Human Mammary,Tumor, Breast
D002166	Camptothecin	An alkaloid isolated from the stem wood of the Chinese tree, Camptotheca acuminata. This compound selectively inhibits the nuclear enzyme DNA TOPOISOMERASES, TYPE I. Several semisynthetic analogs of camptothecin have demonstrated antitumor activity.	Camptothecine
D005260	Female		Females
D006801	Humans	Members of the species Homo sapiens.	Homo sapiens,Man (Taxonomy),Human,Man, Modern,Modern Man
D000903	Antibiotics, Antineoplastic	Chemical substances, produced by microorganisms, inhibiting or preventing the proliferation of neoplasms.	Antineoplastic Antibiotics,Cytotoxic Antibiotics,Antibiotics, Cytotoxic
D017239	Paclitaxel	A cyclodecane isolated from the bark of the Pacific yew tree, TAXUS BREVIFOLIA. It stabilizes MICROTUBULES in their polymerized form leading to cell death.	7-epi-Taxol,Anzatax,Bris Taxol,NSC-125973,Onxol,Paclitaxel, (4 alpha)-Isomer,Paxene,Praxel,Taxol,Taxol A,7 epi Taxol,NSC 125973,NSC125973,Taxol, Bris
D017322	Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic	Works about studies that are usually controlled to assess the effectiveness and dosage (if appropriate) of diagnostic, therapeutic, or prophylactic drugs, devices, or techniques. These studies are performed on several hundred volunteers, including a limited number of patients with the target disease or disorder, and last about two years. This concept includes phase II studies conducted in both the U.S. and in other countries.	Drug Evaluation, FDA Phase 2 as Topic,Drug Evaluation, FDA Phase II as Topic,Evaluation Studies, FDA Phase 2 as Topic,Evaluation Studies, FDA Phase II as Topic
D018943	Anthracyclines	Organic compounds that have a tetrahydronaphthacenedione ring structure attached by a glycosidic linkage to the amino sugar daunosamine.	Anthracycline