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20th‐Century Advances in Drug Therapy in Oncology—Part II
Author(s) -
Dutcher Janice P.,
Novik Yelena,
O'Boyle Kevin,
Marcoullis George,
Secco Christiane,
Wiernik Peter H.
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
the journal of clinical pharmacology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.92
H-Index - 116
eISSN - 1552-4604
pISSN - 0091-2700
DOI - 10.1177/009127000004001002
Subject(s) - vinca , topoisomerase , antimitotic agent , drug , pharmacology , topoisomerase inhibitor , cell cycle , cancer , mechanism of action , drug action , dna replication , biology , medicine , computational biology , dna , microtubule , tubulin , genetics , in vitro
Ongoing research in cancer therapy has led to the development of antineoplastic agents which target specific components of the cell cycle. In Part II of this series, we discuss agents which target the mitotic mechanism by inhibiting microtubules. Although many of these agents are being shown to have multiple effects, the Vinca alkaloids and the taxanes are known as antimitotic drugs. They are among the most important anticancer agents currently available, and because of their unique mechanisms, can be combined with a wide variety of other antineoplastic agents in a spectrum of diseases. In addition, in part II, we are discussing agents that target DNA and prevent replication and thus cell growth by inhibiting the enzymes which protect DNA during replication, the topoisomerases. These drugs, too, have unique mechanisms of action and have become major components of combination regimens. The topoisomerase I inhibitors are new drugs derived from an older parent drug, and their full possibilities are still being explored.