Histone deacetylase inhibitors: a new perspective for the treatment of leukemia

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.