Current role of thalidomide in cancer treatment.
Thalidomide (Thalidomid, Celgene, Warren, NJ) is a putative anti-angiogenesis and immunomodulatory agent that has demonstrated activity in various dermatologic and rheumatologic conditions in addition to Crohn's disease. The biologic effects of thalidomide and the clinical trials conducted in solid tumors, hematologic malignancies, chronic graft-versus-host disease (GVHD), and cancer-related cachexia are reviewed. A summary of the preliminary results of ongoing clinical trials is presented, and the future directions of thalidomide research in the oncology are discussed.
Thomas
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University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Department of Leukemia, Houston 77030, USA. debthomas@mdanderson.org
Kantarjian
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D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D006086:Graft vs Host Disease / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D013792:Thalidomide / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D013792:Thalidomide