title: Review of the clinical experience with 5-azacytidine and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in solid tumors.
abstract: In recent years the importance of epigenetic changes in carcinogenesis has been unfolding. It is now clear that the fifth base of the genome, methylcytosine, plays a critical role in the control of gene expression during normal development and carcinogenesis. Efforts to decrease methylation in neoplasias as a therapeutic strategy have been productive in hematologic malignancies but disappointing in solid tumors. The following is a review of the clinical experience with the agents 5-azacytidine and 5-aza-2'-deoxycytidine in solid malignancies and a discussion of the difficulties encountered.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, University of Southern California, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Los Angeles 90033, USA. aaparici@usc.edu
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Aparicio
authors.forename: Jeffrey S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Weber
mesh_terms: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D001374:Azacitidine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D019175:DNA Methylation; D000077209:Decitabine; D006401:Hematologic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology*; D006402:Hematologic Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D006401:Hematologic Agents; D000077209:Decitabine; D001374:Azacitidine