Brain cancers are among the most difficult cancers to treat. More than 18,000 Americans are diagnosed with brain cancer each year. Many of these will be high-grade gliomas, a highly invasive form of cancer that sends cancerous cells throughout the brain and spinal cord. A potential weapon against this disease is a radiopharmaceutical containing a synthetic version of a substance derived from scorpions, known as chlorotoxin. The chlorotoxin binds specifically to the tumor cells but not normal cells.
  Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in women. More than 180,000 new cases are expected in the U.S. each year. A medicine in the pipeline for breast cancer targets the Bcl-2 protein, which appears to contribute to the resistance of cancer cells to chemotherapy. By reducing the amount of this protein in cancer cells, the medicine may enhance the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
  Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer in men and women. More than 148,000 new cases of the disease are expected each year. A novel medicine being developed is a microtubule stabilizer that has shown broad anticancer activity. It is derived as a natural metabolite of a certain bacteria found in soil. It also has potential to overcome multi-drug resistance in cancer cells.
  Head and neck cancers comprise cancer of the oral cavity, salivary glands, sinuses and nasal cavity, pharynx, larynx and lymph nodes in the upper neck area. According to the National Cancer Institute, these cancers account for approximately 3 to 5 percent of all cancers in the United States and are more common in men and in people over age 50. One potential medicine in development is a first-in-class immunotherapy designed to target specific cancer cells and kill them, then activate the patient’s general immune system to destroy cancer.
  Leukemia is a form of cancer in which abnormal white blood cells take over the body’s bone marrow and prevent it from making enough normal blood cells (white, red and platelets), leaving the patient highly susceptible to serious infections, anemia and bleeding episodes. Each year, more than 44,000 Americans are diagnosed with some form of leukemia and more than 21,000 will die. One medicine in development potentially inhibits a certain cell receptor that is mutated in about one-third of all patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML), as well as other molecular targets thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of AML.
  Melanoma is the most serious form of skin cancer. More than 62,000 Americans will be diagnosed with the disease each year, and nearly 8,000 will die. A potential new medicine targets late-stage metastatic melanoma. The medicine contains a gene encoding an antigen that may be able to alert the immune system to the presence of foreign tissue, inducing a powerful immune response.
  Ovarian cancer causes more deaths than any other cancer of the female reproductive system – more than 15,000 deaths are expected each year. Some ovarian cancers release excessive quantities of a surface protein, or antigen, called CA125 into the bloodstream. One potential medicine in development, a monoclonal antibody, stimulates the body’s immune system to attack the protein and kill the tumors.
  Prostate cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in men, with more than 28,000 deaths each year. Several vaccines are currently being studied as treatments for cancer. Traditionally vaccines have been used to prevent disease, but the new vaccines attempt to get the body’s own immune system to fight the cancer after it has developed. One potential vaccine has tripled the survival rate of men with
advanced prostate cancer in clinical trials.
Note: All facts and figures are from the American Cancer Society, except where noted in the text.
Read the Medicines in Development for Cancer 2009
来源 http://www.phrma.org/publications/fact_sheets/selected_medicines_in_development_for_cancer/

开发中的抗肿瘤新药及作用机理
    脑癌是最难治疗癌症.每年有超过18,000美国人诊断为脑癌.这些中许多将是高恶性程度胶质瘤,高度侵袭性的癌症形式,将癌细胞扩散到整个大脑和脊髓.对抗该疾病的一宗潜在的武器是一种放射性药物,其中包含一种来自蝎子的人工合成的物质——被称为chlorotoxin.Chlorotoxin和肿瘤细胞特异结合而不和普通细胞结合.
    乳腺癌是妇女中最常见的诊断肿瘤.预计在美国每年超过18万新病例.一种即将上市的治疗乳腺癌的新药,该药目标分子Bcl-2蛋白——它的出现似乎有助于癌细胞抵抗化疗.通过减少癌细胞中该种蛋白的数量,该药物能增强化疗效果.
    结直肠癌是人群中第三大常见癌症.预计每年有超过14.8万的新增患者.一种新的在研药物是微管稳定剂,它显示了广谱的抗癌活性.它是一种土壤微生物的天然代谢产物,它能对付多抗药性癌细胞.
    头颈部肿瘤包括口腔癌,唾液腺癌,鼻窦和鼻腔癌,咽癌,喉癌和淋巴结癌等上颈部肿瘤.根据国立癌症研究所,头颈部癌症在美国人大约占全部癌症患者的3~5%,在超过50岁的男性中比较常见.一种在研药物是一种一流免疫疗法,设计目标是特异癌症细胞并且消灭它们,然后激活患者全身免疫系统消灭肿瘤.
    非白血性白血病是一种非正常白细胞占领身体骨髓并阻止骨髓产生正常血细胞（白细胞、红细胞和血小板）,造成患者对严重感染的过度敏感,贫血和偶发性出血.每年超过4.4万的美国人诊断为多种非白血性白血病,超过2.1万人死亡.一种在研药物有可能抑制一种细胞受体——在三分之一的急性髓细胞样白血病患者中该受体突变,也可以抑制其它在急性髓细胞样白血病发病机制中起重要作用的目标分子.
    黑色素瘤是最严重的皮肤癌.每年有超过6.2万美国人被诊断为皮肤癌,约0.8万人死亡.一种潜在的新药治疗晚期转移性黑素瘤.该药包含一种基因编码的抗原能够提醒免疫系统将肿瘤作为外来组织,从而诱导强烈的免疫反应.
    卵巢癌的比其他任何女性生殖系统癌症的死亡率都高,预计每年超过15,000人死亡.有些卵巢癌释放过量的表面蛋白或抗原,称为血清CA125进入血液.一种潜在的在研药物是单克隆抗体,刺激身体免疫系统攻击该蛋白杀死肿瘤细胞.
    前列腺癌是美国男性癌症致死第三大原因,每年超过2.8万人死于此病.目前几种治疗前列腺癌疫苗正在研究中.传统疫苗是用来预防疾病,但是该新型疫苗一旦发明它们刺激自身的免疫系统对抗癌症.一种潜在的疫苗在临床试验中将男性晚期前列腺癌生存率提高了三倍.

http://www.phrma.org/publications/fact_sheets/selected_medicines_in_development_for_cancer/
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