[Development of new anticancer drugs--the historical background and current status in Japan]

Historically the development of new anticancer drugs in Japan was initiated in 1950s by M. Ishidate et al. for alkylating agents and by H. Umezawa, T. Hata et al. for antitumor antibiotics. In current cancer chemotherapy, appreciable clinical responses have been reported against some types of hematological and childhood malignancies and solid cancers such as chorionic, ovarian, testicular cancers. However, solid cancers such as many GI-tract, lung, breast and other cancers are still drug-refractory. Since many of these cancers have been discovered at their advanced forms, the drug treatment has been a very important modality. From these reasons, efforts have been placed on the search of new anticancer drugs. Recently, new anticancer drugs relating to taxanes, camptothecins, platinum compounds have exhibited excellent clinical activities against some solid cancers. From these experiences, searches of novel anticancer drugs including those against molecular targets have been continued. The author is greatly indebted to the late Professor Morizo Ishidate for the initiation of his career in cancer research.