lewis-y-antigen and Hematologic-Neoplasms

Cancer-homing toxins are a group of man-made cytotoxic molecules targeting cancer cells. In the past decade they have demonstrated potential as cancer therapeutics. These molecules contain a toxin, natural or usually derivatized, connected to a cancer-homing module, such as a monoclonal antibody or growth factor or their derivatives. Various cancer-homing toxins have been designed and tested in cell-lines, animal-models and clinical trials. We review some of these data and discuss ways to better design cancer-homing toxins in the light of advances in cancer genomics, antibody-engineering techniques and computational algorithms.

Topics: Antibodies, Monoclonal; Antigens, CD; Antigens, CD19; Antigens, Differentiation, B-Lymphocyte; Antineoplastic Agents; Bacterial Toxins; Cell Adhesion Molecules; Clinical Trials as Topic; Colonic Neoplasms; Drug Resistance, Multiple; ErbB Receptors; Hematologic Neoplasms; Humans; Immunotoxins; Lectins; Lewis Blood Group Antigens; Plant Proteins; Receptors, Growth Factor; Receptors, Interleukin-2; Sialic Acid Binding Ig-like Lectin 2