Classification of anticancer drugs--a new system based on therapeutic targets.
The arrival of a great number of new antineoplastic agents has made it necessary to reclassify all of them. Anticancer drugs may act at different levels: cancer cells, endothelium, extracellular matrix, the immune system or host cells. The tumour cell can be targeted at the DNA, RNA or protein level. Most classical chemotherapeutic agents interact with tumour DNA, whereas monoclonal antibodies and small molecules are directed against proteins. The endothelium and extracellular matrix may be affected also by specific antibodies and small molecules.
Servicio de Oncología Médica, Hospital La Paz, Madrid, Spain. eespinosa00@terra.es
Enrique
E
Espinosa
Pilar
P
Zamora
Jaime
J
Feliu
Manuel
M
González Barón
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000145:classification*; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D004727:Endothelium / Q000187:drug effects; D005109:Extracellular Matrix / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins / Q000187:drug effects; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000187:drug effects; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D004273:DNA, Neoplasm; D009363:Neoplasm Proteins; D012334:RNA, Neoplasm