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Antimitotic inhibitors

Susana M Campos1, Don S Dizon

  • 1Program in Gynecologic Oncology, Department of Medical Oncology, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Harvard Medical School, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA.

Hematology/Oncology Clinics of North America
|April 24, 2012
PubMed

Insights

Novel microtubule-targeted agents and mitotic spindle inhibitors offer new cancer treatment options. This review covers approved drugs and those in clinical trials, focusing on their mechanisms and potential.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cell Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Microtubule-targeted agents are crucial in treating solid and hematologic cancers.
  • Understanding microtubule functions in mitosis is key for developing new therapies.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review novel microtubule-targeted agents and mitotic spindle inhibitors.
  • To highlight recently approved drugs and agents in clinical trials.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of approved and investigational anti-cancer agents.
  • Focus on drugs targeting microtubules and mitotic spindle kinases.

Main Results:

  • Ixabepilone and eribulin are recently approved microtubule-targeted agents.
  • Investigational agents include aurora kinase, pololike kinase, and kinesin-spindle protein inhibitors.

Conclusions:

  • Novel agents targeting microtubules and the mitotic spindle represent a growing area in cancer therapy.
  • Continued research into these mechanisms promises improved cancer treatment strategies.

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