2 research outputs found
Drugs in early clinical development for the treatment of osteosarcoma
Introduction: Osteosarcomas are the main malignant primary bone tumours found in children
and young adults. Conventional treatment is based on diagnosis and resection surgery,
combined with polychemotherapy. This is a protocol that was established in the 1970s.
Unfortunately, this therapeutic approach has reached a plateau of efficacy and the patient
survival rate has not improved in the last four decades. New therapeutic approaches are thus
required to improve the prognosis for osteosarcoma patients.
Areas covered: From the databases available and published scientific literature, the present
review gives an overview of the drugs currently in early clinical development for the
treatment of osteosarcoma. For each drug, a short description is given of the relevant
scientific data supporting its development.
Expert opinion: Multidrug targeted approaches are set to emerge, given the heterogeneity of
osteosarcoma subtypes and the multitude of therapeutic responses. The key role played by the
microenvironment in the disease increases the number of therapeutic targets (such as
macrophages or osteoclasts), as well as the master proteins that control cell proliferation or
cell death. Ongoing phase I/II trials are important steps, not only for identifying new therapies
with greater safety and efficacy, but also for better defining the role played by the
microenvironment in the pathogenesis of osteosarcoma