An outlier theory of cancer curability. Tumor cell differentiation as a therapeutic goal.
Combinations of cytotoxic agents that cure a substantial percentage of patients with several childhood and adult malignancies are much less efficacious for the majority of solid tumors. Standard approaches for curability that rely solely on the concept of cytotoxicity may not be applicable for most epithelial and mesenchymal solid malignancies. Differentiation may play a more important role in cancer cure than heretofore suspected. Clinical and experimental evidence supports further investigation into models of inducing tumor cell differentiation. The question of why such models could predict for curative modalities of treatment is discussed.
Seifter
E J
EJ
National Cancer Institute-Navy Medical Oncology Branch, Uniformed Services University for the Health Sciences, Bethesda, Maryland.
Levitt
M L
ML
Kramer
B S
BS
D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002471:Cell Transformation, Neoplastic / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D014411:Neoplastic Stem Cells / Q000187:drug effects