title: Regulators of apoptosis as anticancer targets.
abstract: For the majority of patients with advance malignancies, current therapies are noncurative. Developing therapeutic agents that enhance the apoptotic effects and hence antitumor potential of currently available chemotherapy agents represents a rationale investigative strategy. Several chemotherapeutic agents including antimicrotubule agents and all-trans-retinoic acid utilize these pathways to mediate tumor cell killing. With specific agents such as oblimersan sodium in randomized "pivotal" studies, and agents targeting the TRAIL receptor-family recently entering early clinical study, cautious optimism is warranted.
authors.affiliation: Institute for Drug Development, Cancer Therapy and Research Center, Department of Medicine, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA. atolcher@saci.org
authors.forename: Anthony W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Tolcher
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D015195:Drug Design; D019254:Genes, bcl-2; D006801:Humans; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008954:Models, Biological; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000502:physiology; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; D013873:Thionucleotides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014212:Tretinoin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha / Q000502:physiology / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D051017:Apoptosis Regulatory Proteins; D008562:Membrane Glycoproteins; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D020319:Oligodeoxyribonucleotides, Antisense; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D053221:TNF-Related Apoptosis-Inducing Ligand; C505653:TNFSF10 protein, human; D013873:Thionucleotides; D014409:Tumor Necrosis Factor-alpha; D014212:Tretinoin; C408162:oblimersen