Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 3, 2026

Heterotypic Three-dimensional In Vitro Modeling of Stromal-Epithelial Interactions During Ovarian Cancer Initiation and Progression
12:42

Heterotypic Three-dimensional In Vitro Modeling of Stromal-Epithelial Interactions During Ovarian Cancer Initiation and Progression

Published on: August 28, 2012

Epothilones in the treatment of ovarian cancer

Ivan Diaz-Padilla1, Amit M Oza

  • 1Princess Margaret Hospital, Bras Family Drug Development Program, Division of Medical Oncology, 610 University Avenue, Room 5-700, Toronto, ON M5G 2M9, Canada.

Future Oncology (London, England)
|April 6, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Epothilones show promise as alternative cancer drugs for patients resistant to taxanes. These microtubule-stabilizing agents, including patupilone and ixabepilone, offer potential new treatments for ovarian cancer.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Taxanes are key chemotherapy drugs, but cancer cells can develop resistance, limiting their effectiveness.
  • Side effects like myelosuppression and neuropathy can also restrict taxane therapy duration.
  • Epothilones are a novel class of microtubule-stabilizing agents with demonstrated antitumor activity, including in taxane-resistant models.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To evaluate epothilones as potential therapeutic alternatives in ovarian cancer.
  • To compare the profiles of epothilone B (patupilone) and ixabepilone in the context of ovarian cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical development of patupilone and ixabepilone.
  • Analysis of epothilone activity in taxane-resistant cancer models.
  • Comparison of pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles of epothilones.

Main Results:

  • Epothilones exhibit antitumor activity, particularly in taxane-resistant cancer models.
  • Patupilone and ixabepilone have distinct pharmacokinetic and toxicity profiles.
  • Ovarian cancer frequently relapses after platinum-taxane treatments, highlighting the need for alternatives.

Conclusions:

  • Epothilones represent a potential therapeutic option for ovarian cancer patients, especially those with taxane resistance.
  • Further definition of the role of patupilone and ixabepilone in ovarian cancer treatment is needed.
  • The distinct profiles of epothilones may offer advantages over traditional taxane therapies.

More Related Videos

Tropomodulin 3 Overexpression as a Marker for Platinum Resistance and Immune Infiltration in Ovarian Cancer09:40

Tropomodulin 3 Overexpression as a Marker for Platinum Resistance and Immune Infiltration in Ovarian Cancer

Published on: August 2, 2024

An Ex Vivo Model of Ovarian Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis Using Human Omentum05:42

An Ex Vivo Model of Ovarian Cancer Peritoneal Metastasis Using Human Omentum

Published on: January 26, 2024

Related Concept Videos

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...
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...
Mitogens and the Cell Cycle02:38

Mitogens and the Cell Cycle

Mitogens and their receptors play a crucial role in controlling the progression of the cell cycle. However, the loss of mitogenic control over cell division leads to tumor formation. Therefore, mitogens and mitogen receptors play an important role in cancer research. For instance, the epidermal growth factor (EGF) - a type of mitogen and its transmembrane receptor (EGFR), decides the fate of the cell's proliferation. When EGF binds to EGFR, a member of the ErbB family of tyrosine kinase...
Cancer Therapies02:49

Cancer Therapies

Cancer therapies are various modes of treatment, such as surgery, radiation therapy, and chemotherapy that are administered to cancer patients.
However, cancer treatments can pose several challenges, as therapies used to kill cancer cells are generally also toxic to normal cells. Moreover, cancer cells mutate rapidly and can develop resistance to chemical agents or radiation therapy. Besides, all types of cancer cells may not respond to the same therapy. Some cancer cells respond to one...
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...
Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists01:27

Chemotherapy-Induced Nausea and Vomiting: 5-HT3 Receptor Antagonists

5-HT3 receptor antagonists, such as dolasetron, granisetron (Kytril), ondansetron (Zofran), and palonosetron (Axoli), are crucial in managing chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting (CINV) and postoperative nausea. These drugs selectively block 5-HT3 receptors in the visceral vagal and spinal afferent nerves, chemoreceptor trigger zone, and the vomiting center. They have a rapid onset of action and can be given as a single dose before chemotherapy. Ondansetron and granisetron, in particular,...