Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Experimental Metastasis Assay
08:28

Experimental Metastasis Assay

Published on: August 24, 2010

Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors and cancer: trials and tribulations

Lisa M Coussens1, Barbara Fingleton, Lynn M Matrisian

  • 1Department of Pathology and Cancer Research Institute, University of California, 2340 Sutter Street, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

Science (New York, N.Y.)
|March 30, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors (MPIs) show promise for cancer therapy due to MMPs

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are upregulated in malignant tissues and degrade the extracellular matrix.
  • MMPs have been considered promising therapeutic targets for cancer treatment.
  • Synthetic metalloproteinase inhibitors (MPIs) were developed based on compelling preclinical data.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review studies leading to clinical trials of MPIs.
  • To discuss MPI trial design and outcomes in light of new MMP information.
  • To extract lessons for future MPI studies and cancer drug development.

Main Methods:

  • Review of preclinical studies and human clinical trials of MPIs.
  • Analysis of new information on MMPs' cellular source, substrates, and action during tumor progression.

Main Results:

  • Preclinical studies showed compelling efficacy of MMP suppression.
  • Human clinical trials with MPIs have yielded disappointing results.
  • New data reveal complexities in MMPs' roles at different tumor progression stages.

Conclusions:

  • The clinical failure of MPIs highlights a gap between preclinical promise and therapeutic reality.
  • Understanding MMPs' diverse roles is crucial for effective cancer therapy.
  • Lessons from the MPI experience can guide future cancer drug development.

More Related Videos

Anticancer Metal Complexes: Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation by the MTT Assay11:14

Anticancer Metal Complexes: Synthesis and Cytotoxicity Evaluation by the MTT Assay

Published on: November 10, 2013

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cancer Drug Sensitization In Vitro and In Vivo09:19

Evaluating the Effectiveness of Cancer Drug Sensitization In Vitro and In Vivo

Published on: February 6, 2015

Related Concept Videos

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules01:15

Drugs that Stabilize Microtubules

Microtubules are dynamic structures that undergo cycles of catastrophe and rescue. The microtubules play a central role in cell division by forming the spindle apparatus for segregating the chromosomes. This makes them ideal targets for regulating dividing cells in tumors and malignant cancer cells. Microtubule stabilizing drugs help stabilize the microtubule formation and promote its polymerization. Paclitaxel was the first microtubule stabilizing agent used as anticancer drug in chemotherapy...
mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression03:03

mTOR Signaling and Cancer Progression

The mammalian target of rapamycin or mTOR protein was discovered in 1994 due to its direct interaction with rapamycin. The protein gets its name from a yeast homolog called TOR. The mTOR protein complex in mammalian cells plays a major role in balancing anabolic processes such as the synthesis of proteins, lipids, and nucleotides and catabolic processes, such as autophagy in response to environmental cues, such as availability of nutrients and growth factors.
The mTOR pathway or the...
Targeted Cancer Therapies02:57

Targeted Cancer Therapies

The targeted cancer therapies, also known as “molecular targeted therapies,” take advantage of the molecular and genetic differences between the cancer cells and the normal cells. It needs a thorough understanding of the cancer cells to develop drugs that can target specific molecular aspects that drive the growth, progression, and spread of cancer cells without affecting the growth and survival of other normal cells in the body.
There are several types of targeted therapies against specific...
Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine02:50

Combination Therapies and Personalized Medicine

Combining two or more treatment methods increases the life span of cancer patients while reducing damage to vital organs or tissue from the overuse of a single treatment. Combination therapy also targets different cancer-inducing pathways, thus reducing the chances of developing resistance to treatment.
The combination of the drug acetazolamide and sulforaphane is a good example of combination therapy to treat cancer. The cells in the interior of a large tumor often die due to the hypoxic and...