title: COX-2 inhibitors as radiosensitizing agents for cancer therapy.
abstract: Prostaglandins have long been known to impact the radiosensitivity of cells and tissues, and many studies have centered on exploiting nonspecific prostaglandin inhibitors such as NSAIDs for therapeutic gain. These studies have ultimately been unsuccessful due to the lack of targeted specificity against the tumor. The discovery of the inducible cyclooxygenase enzyme (COX-2) and development of some highly selective inhibitors (which spare the constitutive COX-1 activity) has renewed excitement for modulating tumor prostaglandins as a method of specific radiosensitization of tumors, while sparing normal tissues. This review discusses these new data and generates a rationale for use of COX-2 inhibitors as radiosensitizing agents in cancer therapy.
authors.affiliation: Pharmacia Corporation, St. Louis, Missouri, USA.
authors.forename: Thomas W
authors.initials: TW
authors.lastname: Davis
authors.forename: Nancy
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hunter
authors.forename: Ovidiu C
authors.initials: OC
authors.lastname: Trifan
authors.forename: Luka
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Milas
authors.forename: Jaime L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Masferrer
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007527:Isoenzymes / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000532:radiotherapy*; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases; D011453:Prostaglandins / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D052246:Cyclooxygenase 2 Inhibitors; D016861:Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors; D007527:Isoenzymes; D008565:Membrane Proteins; D011453:Prostaglandins; D011838:Radiation-Sensitizing Agents; D051546:Cyclooxygenase 2; C496540:PTGS2 protein, human; D011451:Prostaglandin-Endoperoxide Synthases