Tumor radiosensitizers--current status of development of various approaches: report of an International Atomic Energy Agency meeting.

PURPOSE: The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) held a Technical Meeting of Consultants to (1) discuss a selection of relatively new agents, not those well-established in clinical practice, that operated through a variety of mechanisms to sensitize tumors to radiation and (2) to compare and contrast their tumor efficacy, normal tissue toxicity, and status of development regarding clinical application. The aim was to advise the IAEA as to which developing agent or class of agents would be worth promoting further, by supporting additional laboratory research or clinical trials, with the eventual goal of improving cancer control rates using radiotherapy, in developing countries in particular.
RESULTS: The agents under discussion included a wide, but not complete, range of different types of drugs, and antibodies that interfered with molecules in cell signaling pathways. These were contrasted with new molecular antisense and gene therapy strategies. All the drugs discussed have previously been shown to act as tumor cell radiosensitizers or to kill hypoxic cells present in tumors.
CONCLUSION: Specific recommendations were made for more preclinical studies with certain of the agents and for clinical trials that would be suitable for industrialized countries, as well as trials that were considered more appropriate for developing countries.