Targeted and smart drugs for cancer: Dawn of a new era
11/15/2007 San Francisco, CA Rishi Sawhney, M.D. insideBayArea.com The introduction of "smart" laser targeted bombs and guided missiles with pinpoint accuracy have revolutionized modern warfare. A similar revolution is sweeping the world of cancer care. Targeted and smart anticancer drugs are increasingly being used in the treatment of a wide variety of cancers. Thanks to the collaborative efforts of scientists, clinicians, the pharmaceutical industry and the government, more of these modern therapies are available in your oncologist's office today. Simplistically speaking, cancer results when a single cell continues to divide and produces more cells in an unregulated fashion. Understanding this basic fact led to the development of the first generation of anti-cancer drugs, which attack all actively dividing cells. These drugs known as cytotoxic chemotherapy have been the mainstay of most medical oncology practices. They are effective, but are also associated with toxicities of hair loss, mouth sores, nausea, vomiting and bone marrow suppression as they affect all actively dividing cells. Increasing understanding of the biology and molecular profile of cancer cells has led to the realization that the regulation of certain cell surface molecules, genes and proteins is vital for the development of certain cancers. Through these changes, cancer cells are able to escape death, divide faster, spread to other parts of the body and can even recruit their own blood supply. Identification of some of these cell surface receptors, genes and proteins has provided the basis for the development of drugs against such targets. These drugs seek out [...]