Potential anti-cancer drugs commonly used for other indications

Area of Science:

• Oncology
• Pharmacology
• Drug Discovery

Background:

• Rising resistance to conventional chemotherapy necessitates novel anti-cancer strategies.
• Existing drugs with known safety profiles can be repurposed for cancer treatment, accelerating development.
• Drug repurposing leverages established toxicity data, reducing development time and cost.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the anti-cancer potential of drugs approved for other medical conditions.
• To evaluate selected drugs, including benzimidazole anthelmintics, antihypertensives, psychopharmaceuticals, and antidiabetics, as potential cytostatic agents.
• To discuss the advantages, disadvantages, and future perspectives of these repurposed drugs in cancer therapy.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of recent studies on the anti-cancer effects of repurposed drugs.
• Analysis of cytostatic activity of specific drug classes: benzimidazoles (albendazole, mebendazole, flubendazole), antihypertensives (doxazosin, propranolol), psychopharmaceuticals (chlorpromazine, clomipramine), and antidiabetics (metformin, pioglitazone).
• Evaluation of the potential for combination therapy with conventional cytostatics.

Main Results:

• Several non-cancer drugs exhibit cytostatic effects on mammalian tumor cells.
• Benzimidazole anthelmintics, antihypertensives, psychopharmaceuticals, and antidiabetics show promise as anti-cancer agents.
• Combination therapy using repurposed drugs alongside conventional chemotherapy is a viable strategy.

Conclusions:

• Drug repurposing offers a valuable avenue for developing new anti-cancer therapies.
• Selected existing medications demonstrate significant potential as cytostatic agents, particularly in combination regimens.
• Further research into these repurposed drugs could lead to more effective and safer cancer treatments.