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Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies
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Therapeutics targeting signal transduction for patients with colorectal carcinoma

Johann S de Bono1, Eric K Rowinsky

  • 1Institute for Drug Development, Cancer Therapy and Research Center, 7979 Wurzbach Road, 4th Floor Zeller Building, San Antonio, TX 78229, USA.

British Medical Bulletin
|November 8, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Novel targeted therapies are needed for advanced colorectal cancer as traditional cytotoxics show limited efficacy. This review covers emerging agents blocking key signaling proteins like EGFR, Ras, and Akt, offering new hope for patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Conventional cytotoxic chemotherapies for advanced colorectal cancer demonstrate decreasing effectiveness.
  • There is a critical need for novel therapeutic strategies targeting specific molecular pathways to improve patient outcomes.
  • Targeted therapies offer a promising alternative by interfering with cancer cell signaling and survival mechanisms.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review recent advancements in the clinical development of targeted therapies for advanced colorectal cancer.
  • To discuss agents targeting key cellular signaling proteins involved in cancer progression.
  • To present clinical trial results and evaluate the potential of these novel therapeutics.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of clinical trials and preclinical studies on targeted therapies.
  • Analysis of agents targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) family, Ras, Raf kinase, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway, Akt, and apoptosis signaling pathways (NF-kappaB, Bcl-2, TRAIL receptor).
  • Discussion of clinical data, advantages, disadvantages, and future challenges of targeted agents.

Main Results:

  • First-generation targeted therapies have entered clinical evaluation for various malignant diseases.
  • Specific agents targeting EGFR, Ras, Raf, MAPK, Akt, and apoptosis pathways show potential in early clinical trials.
  • The review presents the outcomes of these initial therapeutic investigations.

Conclusions:

  • Targeted therapies represent a significant advancement in the treatment of advanced colorectal cancer.
  • Understanding the molecular targets and signaling pathways is crucial for developing effective treatments.
  • Further clinical evaluation is necessary to overcome challenges and optimize the use of these targeted agents.

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