[Current applications of dexamethasone for cancer treatment].

Abstract

Dexamethasone is a synthetic glucocorticoid that is widely used in clinical due to its multiple pharmacological effects. Recently, dexamethasone is increasingly utilized in anti-cancer therapy. It is frequently used to prevent side effects of chemotherapy such as nausea, vomiting and pain, as well as to increase the anti-tumor activity of the cancer chemotherapeutic agents as a chemosensitizer and to inhibit tumor growth as an anti-cancer agent in some certain cancers. Dexamethasone produces the effects in anti-inflammation, anti-angiogenesis, control of estrogen activity and so on, by binding to glucocorticoid receptor to regulate gene expression of some important bio-signal molecules. Those signal pathways could interfere with the transcription of various factors which can regulate proliferation, invasion and metastasis of tumors.

• Authors: Li-jie Wang, Wei Lu, Tian-yan Zhou
• Journal: Yao xue xue bao = Acta pharmaceutica Sinica (Yao Xue Xue Bao) Vol. 50 Issue 10 Pg. 1217-24 (Oct 2015) ISSN: 0513-4870 [Print] China
• PMID: 26837165 (Publication Type: Journal Article)

Chemical References

• Antiemetics
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Dexamethasone

Topics

• Antiemetics
• Antineoplastic Agents (therapeutic use)
• Dexamethasone (therapeutic use)
• Humans
• Nausea
• Neoplasms (drug therapy)
• Signal Transduction
• Vomiting