title: Targeting the microtubules in breast cancer beyond taxanes: the epothilones.
abstract: Microtubule-targeting agents such as the taxanes are highly active against breast cancer and have become a cornerstone in the treatment of patients with early and advanced breast cancer. The natural epothilones and their analogs are a novel class of microtubule-stabilizing agents that bind tubulin and result in apoptotic cell death. Among this family of compounds, patupilone, ixabepilone, BMS-310705, ZK-EPO, and KOS-862 are in clinical development. Extensive preclinical studies have shown that epothilones are working through partially nonoverlapping mechanisms of action with taxanes. In the clinic, epothilones have been found in a series of phase I and phase II studies to be active even in patients who had recently progressed to taxanes. The toxicity profile of these agents consists mostly of sensory neuropathy, sometimes reversible. Neoadjuvant studies with epothilones have been conducted and a number of phase III studies in advanced breast cancer are either under way or have been recently completed. The results of these studies are eagerly awaited and it is anticipated that epothilones may become an important treatment option in patients with breast cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Oncology, Vall d'Hebron University Hospital, Barcelona, Spain. jacortes@vhebron.net
authors.forename: Javier
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Cortes
authors.forename: Jose
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Baselga
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D034261:Epothilones / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008870:Microtubules / Q000187:drug effects; D050257:Tubulin Modulators / Q000737:chemistry / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D034261:Epothilones; D050257:Tubulin Modulators