Current status and perspectives in cancer chemotherapy

New anticancer drugs with novel structures including paclitaxel, docetaxel, ilinotecan and gemcitabine have shown significant activity against various solid tumors in phase II trials. Phase II trials of combination regimens containing these drugs are currently in progress. Some combinations such as paclitaxel plus cisplatin in ovarian cancer have shown superiority over the past standard regimen. Not surprisingly, several analogues of these drugs have been developed and currently phase II trials are in progress. ET-743 may has some hope to become the first anticancer drug from a marine product. Oral chemotherapy is useful for treatment of outpatients. A combination regimen of UFT plus oral leucovorin has shown equivalent activity to 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in advanced colorectal cancer, and capecitabine has shown superior activity and less toxicity than 5-fluorouracil and leucovorin in advanced colorectal cancer. Monoclonal antibody therapy has been successful in patients with breast cancer overexpressing HER2 and in patients with B-cell lymphoma. Currently clinical trials of 17-1A for colorectal cancer and HUM195 for acute myelogeneous leukemia are in progress. Recently presented results of angiogenesis inhibitors are discussed.