Testicular carcinoma, anticancer

Bleomycins are a group of glycopeptide antibiotics that degrade preformed DNA. Bleomycin is used in the treatment of testicular carcinoma, sarcomas, and carcinomas of the oesophagus and lung. In contrast to most anticancer drugs, bleomycin causes little myelotoxicity. It is... 

Platinum coordination complexes have been investigated as potential anticancer agents since 1972. The most successful of these is the cis dichlor-diammine platinum(II) complex which is particularly effective for the treatment of ovarian and testicular carcinomas. However, effective therapy requires high doses, typically 4.0/umol (825/ig)kg-1 given intravenously, which produce unpleasant and toxic reactions. Pharmaco-kinetic studies of the various Pt species in plasma indicate that the active species is of low molecular weight and the protein bound Pt species is apparently inactive [106]. Further work is needed to identify the active species and to develop therapeutic procedures that produce maximum anti-tumour activity with minimum toxicity. 

Pulse therapy Pulse therapy involves intermittent treatment with very high doses of an anticancer drug—doses that are too toxic to be used continuously. Intensive drug treatment every 3-4 weeks allows for maximum effects on neoplastic cells, with hematologic and immunologic recovery between courses. This type of regimen is used successfully in therapy of acute leukemias, testicular carcinomas, and Wilms tumor. 

Two of the most important platinum anticancer drugs are cisplatin (2.13) and carboplatin (2.14). Cisplatin is effective against testicular tumours, ovarian carcinoma and some other types of cancer, but relatively inactive against breast and lung cancers it is also a very toxic compound. Side effects include loss of high-frequency hearing, neuropathy and nausea. Kidney damage may also result, but is minimised... 

---