Some Antineoplastic And Immunosuppressive Agents

Evaluates the carcinogenic risk to humans posed by exposure to some Antineoplastic & Immunosupressive Agents.

Over the past two decades a number of attempts have been made, with varying degrees of success, to collect in a single treatise available information on the basic and applied pharmacology and biochemical mechanism of action of antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agents. The logarithmic growth of knowledge in this field has made it progressively more difficult to do justice to all aspects of this topic, and it is possible that the present handbook, more than four years in preparation, may be the last attempt to survey in a. single volume the entire field of drugs em ployed in cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Even in the present instance, it has proved necessary for practical reasons to publish the material in two parts, although the plan of the work constitutes, at least in the editors' view, a single integrated treatment of this research area. A number of factors have contributed to the continuous expansion of research in the areas of cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Active compounds have been emerging at ever-increasing rates from experimental tumor screening systems maintained by a variety of private and governmental laboratories through out the world. At the molecular level, knowledge of the modes of action of estab lished agents has continued to expand, and has permitted rational drug design to playa significantly greater role in a process which, in its early years, depended almost completely upon empirical and fortuitous observations.

Over the past two decades a number of attempts have been made, with varying degrees of success, to collect in a single treatise available information on the basic and applied pharmacology and biochemical mechanism of action of antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agents. The logarithmic growth of knowledge in this field has made it progressively more difficult to do justice to all aspects of this topic, and it is possible that the present handbook, more than four years in preparation, may be the last attempt to survey in a single volume the entire field of drugs employed in cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Even in the present instance, it has proved necessary for practical reasons to publish the material in two parts, although the plan of the work constitutes, at least in the editors' view, a single integrated treatment of this research area. A number of factors have contributed to the continuous expansion of research in the areas of cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Active compounds have been emerging at ever-increasing rates from experimental tumor screening systems maintained by a variety of private and governmental laboratories through out the world. At the molecular level, knowledge of the modes of action of established agents has continued to expand, and has permitted rational drug design to play a significantly greater role in a process which, in its early years, depended almost completely upon empirical and fortuitous observations.

Over the past two decades a number of attempts have been made, with varying degrees of success, to collect in a single treatise available information on the basic and applied pharmacology and biochemical mechanism of action of antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agents. The logarithmic growth of knowledge in this field has made it progressively more difficult to do justice to all aspects of this topic, and it is possible that the present handbook, more than four years in preparation, may be the last attempt to survey in a single volume the entire field of drugs employed in cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Even in the present instance, it has proved necessary for practical reasons to publish the material in two parts, although the plan of the work constitutes, at least in the editors' view, a single integrated treatment of this research area. A number of factors have contributed to the continuous expansion of research in the areas of cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Active compounds have been emerging at ever-increasing rates from experimental tumor screening systems maintained by a variety of private and governmental laboratories through out the world. At the molecular level, knowledge of the modes of action of established agents has continued to expand, and has permitted rational drug design to play a significantly greater role in a process which, in its early years, depended almost completely upon empirical and fortuitous observations.

Over the past two decades a number of attempts have been made, with varying degrees of success, to collect in a single treatise available information on the basic and applied pharmacology and biochemical mechanism of action of antineoplastic and immunosuppressive agents. The logarithmic growth of knowledge in this field has made it progressively more difficult to do justice to all aspects of this topic, and it is possible that the present handbook, more than four years in preparation, may be the last attempt to survey in a. single volume the entire field of drugs em ployed in cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Even in the present instance, it has proved necessary for practical reasons to publish the material in two parts, although the plan of the work constitutes, at least in the editors' view, a single integrated treatment of this research area. A number of factors have contributed to the continuous expansion of research in the areas of cancer chemotherapy and immunosuppression. Active compounds have been emerging at ever-increasing rates from experimental tumor screening systems maintained by a variety of private and governmental laboratories through out the world. At the molecular level, knowledge of the modes of action of estab lished agents has continued to expand, and has permitted rational drug design to playa significantly greater role in a process which, in its early years, depended almost completely upon empirical and fortuitous observations.

Evaluates the carcinogenic risks to humans posed by the use of four antiretroviral agents four DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors used in the treatment of cancer and an additional three pharmaceutical agents (hydroxyures phenolphthalein and vitamin K substances). The volume marks the first IARC evaluation of nucleoside analogs that act as antiviral agents. The evaluation responds in part to recent findings that zidovudine (AZT) an effective antiretroviral agent now being given to pregnant HIV-infected women to prevent maternal-to-fetal transmission of the virus is a transplacental carcinogen in mice. The opening monograph evaluates the carcinogenicity to humans of the antiretroviral nucleoside analogs zidovudine (AZT) zalcitabine (ddC) and didanosine (ddI) and the antiherpesvirus drug aciclovir. Of these aciclovir and didanosine could not be classified on the basis of available data. For zidovudine transplacental administration to mice resulted in an increased incidence and multiplicity of lung and liver tumours and in an increased incidence of female reproductive tract tumours in one study but not in another involving treatment at a lower dose. Despite observation of toxic effects in some studies of humans human carcinogenicity data were judged to provide inadequate evidence of carcinogenicity in humans. Zidovudine was classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Similar weaknesses in human carcinogenicity data for zalcitabine which consistently induces thymic lymphomas in mice resulted in its classification as possibly carcinogenic to humans. The second monograph evaluates four DNA topoisomerase II inhibitors: etoposide teniposide mitoxantrone and amsacrine. Of these etoposide - one of the most widely used and effective cytotoxic drugs in combination therapy - was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans and etoposide in combination with cisplatin and bleomycin was judged to be carcinogenic to humans. Teniposide was classified as probably carcinogenic to humans and mitoxantrone and amsacrine were classified as possibly carcinogenic to humans. Of the three pharmaceutical agents evaluated in the final monograph hydroxyurea which is widely used in cancer treatment and increasingly in combination with didanosine in HIV infection could not be classified. Phenolphthalein a widely used laxative now being withdrawn from the market in many countries because of toxicological concerns was classified as possibly carcinogenic. Vitamin K substances could not be classified on the basis of available evidence.

Holland-Frei Cancer Medicine, Ninth Edition, offers a balanced view of the most current knowledge of cancer science and clinical oncology practice. This all-new edition is the consummate reference source for medical oncologists, radiation oncologists, internists, surgical oncologists, and others who treat cancer patients. A translational perspective throughout, integrating cancer biology with cancer management providing an in depth understanding of the disease An emphasis on multidisciplinary, research-driven patient care to improve outcomes and optimal use of all appropriate therapies Cutting-edge coverage of personalized cancer care, including molecular diagnostics and therapeutics Concise, readable, clinically relevant text with algorithms, guidelines and insight into the use of both conventional and novel drugs Includes free access to the Wiley Digital Edition providing search across the book, the full reference list with web links, illustrations and photographs, and post-publication updates