Chemistry and Pharmacology of Anticancer Drugs

"...This text is a gem for any graduate student in the pharmaceutical sciences or for anyone seeking an introductory reference in the area of anticancer drugs." - John S. Williamson, University of Mississippi, writing in the Journal of Medicinal Chemistry, Vol. 50, No. 26: December 27, 2007 "The author explains in the foreword that this, 'book attempts to bring together a broad spectrum of information relating to the chemistry and pharmacology of anticancer drugs and therapies.' The author succeeds in this aim in a very elegant text. The book is both informative and easy to read. It is a very interesting book and would be a welcome addition to any individual's collection, and essential if this is your field." - Steve Mitchell, Faculty of Medicine, Imperial College London in Imperial College of Science Technology, July 2008 ". . . a noteworthy survey . . . The author, a renowned scientist in cancer research and drug development, clearly does not fail to provide up-to-date information on this trend in today's pharmacology. A book that covers such a large number of anticancer drugs, ranging from those in clinical use to those under basic research, is nearly impossible to write. Dr. Thurston has done so, however, thanks to his expertise in the field . . . easy readability and directness make the book ideal for students . . . an indispensable resource for the libraries of research institutes, universities, and hospitals." - Matteo Conti, Ospedales S. Maria delle Croci, Ravenna, Italy, in ChemMedChem, 2007, No. 2 "The book is unique in providing molecular structures for all anticancer drugs, discussing them in terms of history, chemistry, mechanism of action, structure-function relationships, and pharmacology . . . This volume is an indispensable resource for cancer researchers, medicinal chemists, and other biomedical scientists involved in the development of new anticancer treatments." - In Anticancer Research, 2009, Vol. 29 "As written, the book does an excellent job for its intended audience of advanced undergraduates and health-care professionals in training or those with only peripheral exposure to cancer therapy . . . Overall, the book is easy to read and manages to not be redundant. This is all quite an accomplishment considering the topic." - RA Sikes, University of Delaware, in British Journal of Cancer, 2007, Vol. 97

INTRODUCTION TO CANCER Terminology Metastases Diagnosis and Screening Formation of Cancer Cells (Tumorigenesis) Mechanisms of Genomic Damage Treatments Discovery of Anticancer Drugs and Preclinical Evaluation Accessibility of Drugs to Tumor Cells Achieving Selective Toxicity Limiting the Toxicity of Chemotherapeutic Agents Overview of Mechanisms of Action of Chemotherapeutic Agents Drug Resistance Combination Chemotherapy Use of Adjuvants Infertility Following Cancer Treatments ANTIMETABOLITES DHFR Inhibitors (Antifolates) Purine Antimetabolites Pyrimidine Antimetabolites Thymidylate Synthase Inhibition Adenosine Deaminase Inhibition Ribonucleotide Reductase Inhibition DNA-INTERACTIVE AGENTS Alkylating Agents Cross-Linking Agents Intercalating Agents Topoisomerase Inhibitors DNA-Cleaving Agents ANTITUBULIN AGENTS Vinca Alkaloids The Taxanes MOLECULARLY TARGETED AGENTS Kinase Inhibitors Inhibition of Ras Pathway Signaling Cell Cycle Inhibitors Proteasome Inhibitors mTOR Inhibitors HORMONAL THERAPIES Breast Cancer Prostatic Cancer Neuroendocrine Tumors: Somatostatin Analogs Estrogen Therapy Progestogen Therapy TUMOR-TARGETING STRATEGIES Antibody-Based Approaches Vascular-Targeting Strategies X-DEPT (Biphasic) Strategies Enzymatic Targeting Photoactivated Drugs (Photodynamic Therapy) Boron Neutron Capture Therapy Novel Drug Delivery Approaches BIOLOGICAL AGENTS Biological Response Modifiers Immunotherapy Enzyme-Based Therapies Vaccines THE FUTURE Novel Biological Targets and Therapeutic Strategies New Research Tools and Methodologies Chemopreventive Agents PERSONALIZED TREATMENTS Screening for Risk of Disease Development Prognosis and Staging Screening for Risk of Recurrence of Disease Selecting Best Treatments for Patients Predicting Side Effects of Chemotherapeutic Agents Pharmacogenomics in Clinical Trials ADJUNCT THERAPIES Anti-emetic Agents Steroidal Agents Adjuvent Enzymes Other Therapies Index *Each chapter includes an Introduction and a Further Reading section.