Platinum and Other Heavy Metal Compounds in Cancer Chemotherapy

The platinum-containing chemotherapeutic agents remain key components of many of the most effective regimens for the treatment of cancer. New information about the chemistry, pharmacology and molecular mechanisms by which these drugs work is leading to both the development of new drugs and more effective use of existing members of this class. Better definition of the genetic basis of malignancies is offering intriguing new insights in to how to use these drugs in a more individualized manner. "Platinum and Other Heavy Metal Compounds in Cancer Chemotherapy: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications", edited by Andrea Bonetti, Steve B. Howell, Roberto Leone, and Franco Muggia, provides succinct summaries of the major new developments in field of platinum drug therapy drawn from presentations made at the 10th International Symposium on Platinum Coordination Compounds in Cancer Chemotherapy that took place in Verona, Italy, in December 2007. This meeting, held once every 4 years, brought together the world's leading investigators working on platinum drugs and their contributions provide a detailed survey of the major research directions in this rapidly evolving field.

"The platinum-containing chemotherapeutic agents remain key components of many of the most effective regimens for the treatment of cancer. New information about the chemistry, pharmacology and molecular mechanisms by which these drugs work is leading to both the development of new drugs and more effective use of existing members of this class. Better definition of the genetic basis of malignancies is offering intriguing new insights in to how to use these drugs in a more individualized manner. "Platinum and Other Heavy Metal Compounds in Cancer Chemotherapy: Molecular Mechanisms and Clinical Applications", edited by Andrea Bonetti, Steve B. Howell, Roberto Leone, and Franco Muggia, provides succinct summaries of the major new developments in field of platinum drug therapy drawn from presentations made at the 10th International Symposium on Platinum Coordination Compounds in Cancer Chemotherapy that took place in Verona, Italy, in December 2007. This meeting, held once every 4 years, brought together the world's leading investigators working on platinum drugs and their contributions provide a detailed survey of the major research directions in this rapidly evolving field."

Novel Platinum Analogues, Original Formulations and Other Heavy Metals.- Platinum Compounds: The Culmination of the Era of Cancer Chemotherapy.- Studies on New Platinum Compounds.- Assessment of the In Vivo Antiproliferative Activity of a Novel Platinum Particulate Pharmacophore.- Nanocapsules of Platinum-Based Anticancer Drugs.- The Design and Development of the Tumor-Targeting Nanopolymer Dach Platinum Conjugate AP5346 (Prolindac(TM)).- In vitro Anti-proliferative Effects of ProLindac(TM), a Novel Dach-Platinum-Linked Polymer Compound, as a Single Agent and in Combination with Other Anti-cancer Drugs.- Synthesis of Cisplatin Analogues: Cytotoxic Efficacy and Anti-tumour Activity of Bis-Amidine and Bis-Iminoether Pt(II) Complexes.- Ruthenium Drugs for Cancer Chemotherapy: An Ongoing Challenge to Treat Solid Tumours.- X-ray Crystal Structure of a Monofunctional Platinum-DNA Adduct, cis-{Pt(NH3)2-(Pyridine)}2+ Bound to Deoxyguanosine in a Dodecamer Duplex.- Osmium Arenes: A New Class of Potential Anti-cancer Agents.- Cellular Transport and Intracellular Trafficking of Platinum Compounds.- Resistance to Cisplatin Results from Multiple Mechanisms in Cancer Cells.- CTR1 as a Determinant of Platinum Drug Transport.- Regulation of the Export of Platinum-Containing Drugs by the Copper Efflux Transporters ATP7A and ATP7B.- Altered Localization of Transport Proteins Associated with Cisplatin Resistance.- How to Overcome Cisplatin Resistance Through Proton Pump Inhibitors.- Cellular Resistance to Oxaliplatin and Drug Accumulation Defects.- Possible Incorporation of Free N7-Platinated Guanines in DNA by DNA Polymerases, Relevance for the Cisplatin Mechanism of Action.- DNA Damage and Signal Transduction: Recognition/Repair And Cell-Response.- Structural and Mechanistic Studies ofAnticancer Platinum Drugs: Uptake, Activation, and the Cellular Response to DNA Binding.- Platinum Drugs and DNA Repair: Lessons from the NCI Panel and Clinical Correlates.- Differences in Conformation and Conformational Dynamics Between Cisplatin and Oxaliplatin DNA Adducts.- Regrowth Resistance: Low-Level Platinum Resistance Mediated by Rapid Recovery from Platinum-Induced Cell-Cycle Arrest.- Targeting Nucleotide Excision Repair as a Mechanism to Increase Cisplatin Efficacy.- CHK2 and ERCC1 in the DNA Adduct Repair Pathway that Mediates Acquired Cisplatin Resistance.- Modulation of Survival Pathways in Ovarian Carcinoma Cells Resistant to Platinum Compounds.- Paraptotic Cell Death Induced by the Thioxotriazole Copper Complex A0: A New Tool to Kill Apoptosis-Resistant Cancer Cells.- Clinical Applications.- Platinum Compounds and Radiation.- Treating Cisplatin-Resistant Cancer: A Systematic Analysis of Oxaliplatin or Paclitaxel Salvage Chemotherapy.- Platinum Compounds in Lung Cancer: Current Status.- Is Lipoplatinum Monotherapy an Active Alternative in Second Line Treatment of Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer? A Phase II Trial.- Combining Platinums in Gastric Cancer.- Oxaliplatin-Based Chemotherapy for Colon Cancer.- First-Line Systemic Chemotherapy with Folfoxiri Followed by Radical Surgical Resection of Metastases for the Treatment of Unresectable Metastatic Colorectal Cancer Patients.- Pre-operative Radio-Chemotherapy of Rectal Cancer: Toxicity and Preliminary Results with the Addition of Weekly Oxaliplatin.- The Role of Platins in Newly Diagnosed Endometrial Cancer.- Platinum Compounds: Key Ingredients in Ovarian Cancer Treatment and Strategies.- Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy: An Important Strategy in Ovarian Cancer Treatment.- Novel Strategies for Enhancingthe Efficacy of Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy for Patients with Ovarian Cancer.- Laparoscopically Assisted Heated Intra-Operative Intraperitoneal Chemotherapy (HIPEC): Technical Aspect and Pharmacokinetics Data.- Organic Cation Transporters 2 as Mediators of Cisplatin Nephrotoxicity.- Peripheral Neurotoxicity of Platinum Compounds.- Platinum Drugs in Children with Cancer.- Optimising Carboplatin Dose using Patient Characteristics and Therapeutic Drug Monitoring.