title: Histone deacetylase inhibitors: a new perspective for the treatment of leukemia.
abstract: Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDIs) promote or enhance several different anticancer mechanisms and therefore are in evidence as potential antileukemia agents. Studies on leukemia have provided examples for their functional implications in cancer development and progression, as well as their relevance for therapeutic targeting. A number of HDIs have been tested in clinical trials and have been proven safe with significant clinical activity. The use of HDIs in association with other molecules, such as classical chemotherapeutic drugs and DNA demethylating agents, has been implied as a promising treatment alternative for leukemia patients in the future. Here we describe the histone deacetylase inhibitors that have been tested in clinical trials for the treatment of leukemia and lymphoma. We conclude that further clinical trials involving a broader number of HDIs used either alone or in combination with other agents are needed to consolidate the use of these epigenetic modulators on leukemia therapy.
authors.affiliation: Children's Cancer Institute and Pediatric Oncology Unit, Cancer Research Laboratory, Academic Hospital, Federal University of Rio Grande do Sul, and National Institute for Translational Medicine (INCT Program), Porto Alegre, Brazil. aabujamra@hcpa.ufrgs.br
authors.forename: Ana Lucia
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Abujamra
authors.forename: Michel Pinheiro
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Dos Santos
authors.forename: Rafael
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Roesler
authors.forename: Gilberto
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schwartsmann
authors.forename: Algemir Lunardi
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Brunetto
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D004353:Drug Evaluation, Preclinical / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007938:Leukemia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D008495:Medical Oncology / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D056572:Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors