Adjuvant Sunitinib in Renal-Cell Carcinoma

The renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system (RAAS) is an intricate physiological pathway involving numerous enzymes and hormones, including renin, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin I and II, and aldosterone. Imbalances within this system increase the production of angiotensin II and aldosterone. Increased angiotensin II levels promote vasoconstriction and blood pressure elevation. Concurrently, higher aldosterone levels stimulate sodium and water reabsorption in the kidneys,...

In patients with renal impairment, drugs undergo significant changes in their pharmacokinetics, which require dosage adjustments to ensure safe and effective therapy.
Reduced renal clearance and elimination rate are common outcomes of renal impairment. These alterations lead to a prolonged elimination half-life and an altered apparent volume of distribution for drugs. As a result, dosage adjustments are typically necessary to maintain optimal drug levels in the body.
However, dosage adjustments...

Cancer is the second leading cause of death in the United States. A cancer cell is genetically unstable and hence can mutate faster. They can also modify their microenvironment and escape immune surveillance. The difficulties in treating cancer are further compounded by the emergence of rapid resistance to anticancer drugs. The most common ways to attain resistance in cancer cells include alteration in drug transport and metabolism, modification of drug target, elevated DNA damage response, or...

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...

Tubular reabsorption, a process occurring post-glomerular filtration of drugs in the renal tubule, is a critical determinant of drug half-life. During the process of renal excretion, as the glomerular filtrate progresses to the distal convoluted tubule (DCT), drugs that are highly permeable, lipophilic, and nonionized undergo passive reabsorption from the tubular fluid into the surrounding peritubular capillaries. This reabsorption process restricts their elimination through the kidneys. This...

The orderly progression of the cell cycle depends on the activation of Cdk protein by binding to its cyclin partner. However, the cell cycle must be restricted when undergoing abnormal changes. Most cancers correlate to the deregulated cell cycle, and since Cdks are a central component of the cell cycle, Cdk inhibitors are extensively studied to develop anticancer agents. For instance, cyclin D associates with several Cdks, such as Cdk 4/6, to form an active complex. The cyclin D-Cdk4/6 complex...