title: [The skin as a signal organ in the development of recent cytostatic drugs and anti-tumor strategies].
abstract: It has been estimated that of all new cancers diagnosed annually in the USA almost one third originate in the skin such as basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Much progress has been achieved in our understanding of the pathogenesis and it became clear primarily by studies of chemical carcinogenesis in murine skin that this is a stepwise process comprising at least three distinct stages: initiation, promotion, and malignant conversion or progression. This knowledge of the pathogenesis prompted to the development of chemoprevention of cancer in humans. Large clinical chemoprevention intervention studies with vitamin A, -carotene, vitamin E, and selenium are on the way. The metabolism of chemical carcinogens by cytochrome P-450 isozymes and other xenobiotica metabolizing enzymes has been proven essential in chemocarcinogenesis but it plays also a crucial role in the biotransformation of cancer themotherapeutic agents and may be of importance in influencing the efficacy as well as the side effects of these drugs in the target organ. Although our current knowledge is limited, studies of the xenobiotic metabolizing enzymes in extrahepatic tissues such as the skin demonstrate that they are possible. They may be of special importance in the near future in order to design individual therapies that will avoid unwanted toxicities and enhance therapeutic effectiveness.
authors.affiliation: Universitäts-Hautklinik Köln.
authors.forename: H F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Merk
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D006801:Humans; D012307:Risk Factors; D012871:Skin Diseases / Q000139:chemically induced*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
vernacular_title: Die Haut als Signalorgan in der Entwicklung neuer Zytostatika und Antitumorstrategien.