title: Role of deferoxamine in tumor therapy.
abstract: Several studies are consistent with the hypothesis that available iron may have some role in promoting tumor cell growth with different biological mechanisms. For this reason, several studies have been carried out to demonstrate the antitumor activity of deferoxamine (DFO), an iron chelator with a high affinity for ferritin-bound iron. In particular, the effects of DFO have been studied in patients with neuroblastoma, where ferritin is in part tumor derived and high concentrations correlate with poor outcome. To date, in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrating the antitumor effects of DFO are very promising, but further investigations are required to establish an exact role for DFO in the treatment of cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Bambino Gesù Hospital, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Donfrancesco
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Deb
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: De Sio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Cozza
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Castellano
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D003676:Deferoxamine / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005293:Ferritins / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007501:Iron / Q000378:metabolism; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D009447:Neuroblastoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007502:Iron Chelating Agents; D005293:Ferritins; D007501:Iron; D003676:Deferoxamine