Prevention and treatment of regimen-related mucosal toxicity.
Current standard treatments for cancer are associated with major dose-limiting toxic effects on healthy tissue. The mucosal layers of the body are particularly sensitive to regimen-induced damage, with patients suffering many unpleasant and potentially life-threatening side-effects. In recent years, there has been an increase in the understanding of the pathobiology of regimen-related mucosal injury which has lead to a number of exciting inventions for its prevention and treatment being recently patented. Agents such as growth factors, cytokines, receptor agonists/antagonists and anti-inflammatory agents are among those in development in this emerging field. The complexity of mucosal injury poses a challenge for researchers, however rational targeting of intervention strategies to critical mechanisms will lead to further progress.
Department of Medical Oncology, Royal Adelaide Hospital, Adelaide, South Australia, 5000, Australia. joanne.bowen@adelaide.edu.au
Joanne M
JM
Bowen
D004999:Amifostine / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects*; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D019610:Cytoprotection; D006801:Humans; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D052016:Mucositis / Q000139:chemically induced* / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000517:prevention & control
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D004999:Amifostine