Novel cytotoxic and biological agents for prostate cancer: where will the money be in 2005?
In 2004, docetaxel-based chemotherapy became the first treatment capable of extending life in androgen-independent prostate cancer. The era of therapeutic nihilism in this disease has thus been put to rest and a broad range of agents is being tested with the goal of improving on the successes of 2004. Lessons learned from other tumour types will need to be applied to prostate cancer in order to harness the bounty of available ideas. Target amplification or activating mutations and not merely the presence of a target are likely to be important to the success of targeted agents. Thus, the promise of the current crop of targeted agents is most likely to be realised when pursued in the context of well-credentialed targets and tested in highly translational clinical trials that are capable not only of assessing tumour response, but also of evaluating the status of the targeted pathway. The most promising agents in clinical development are reviewed.
Strother
John M
JM
Division of Hematology and Medical Oncology, Oregon Health and Science University, Mail Code CR-145, 3181 SW Sam Jackson Park Road, Portland, OR 97239, USA.
Beer
Tomasz M
TM
Dreicer
Robert
R
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D002117:Calcitriol / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006801:Humans; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D047495:PPAR gamma / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D013678:Technology, Pharmaceutical / Q000639:trends
D020533:Angiogenesis Inhibitors; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007166:Immunosuppressive Agents; D047495:PPAR gamma; D017978:Receptors, Growth Factor; D002117:Calcitriol