Possible Mechanisms of Diarrheal Side Effects Associated with the Use of a Novel Chemotherapeutic Agent, Flavopiridol1
Vol. 7, 343–349, February 2001 Clinical Cancer Research 343 Possible Mechanisms of Diarrheal Side Effects Associated with the Use of a Novel Chemotherapeutic Agent, Flavopiridol1 Melissa E. S. Kahn, Adrian Senderowicz, INTRODUCTION Edward A. Sausville, and Kim E. Barrett2 The external environment manipulates cellular prolifera- Division of Gastroenterology, Department of Medicine, University of tion and differentiation by stimulating or inhibiting certain sig- California, San Diego, School of Medicine, San Diego, California nal transduction pathways that impinge on the cell cycle (1–3). 92103 [M. E. S. K., K. E. B.], and Developmental Therapeutics Each component of the cell cycle machinery, as a final executor Program Clinical Trials Unit, Medicine Branch, National Cancer in cell division, has the potential to elicit or to contribute to a Institute, Bethesda, Maryland 20892 [A. S., E. A. S.] neoplastic phenotype (4). When normal cells sense external stimuli, such as contact inhibition, they stop proliferating. How- ABSTRACT ever, in transformed cells, some of the controls exerted on progression through the cell cycle are lost. Checkpoints at the The novel cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor flavopiri- G -S and G -M transitions are surveillance mechanisms that dol has recently completed Phase I trials for the treatment of 1 2 monitor the completion of critical cell cycle transitions (5). In refractory neoplasms. The dose-limiting toxicity observed transformed cells, these checkpoints are less stringent or even with this agent was severe diarrhea. Because the compound absent (6). Because transformed cells have handicapped check- otherwise showed promise, the present study sought to de- points, cancer has been described as a cell cycle disease (6).
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