Interventional oncology: new options for interstitial treatments and intravascular approaches Targeting tumor metabolism via a loco-regional approach: a new therapy against liver cancer

• Published in: Journal of hepato-biliary-pancreatic sciences Vol. 17; no. 4; pp. 405 - 406
• Main Authors: Liapi, Eleni, Geschwind, Jean-Francois
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Japan Springer Japan 01.07.2010
• Subjects: Abdominal Surgery; Antineoplastic Agents - administration & dosage; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - metabolism; Carcinoma, Hepatocellular - therapy; Chemoembolization, Therapeutic - methods; Gastroenterology; Hepatic Artery; Hepatology; Humans; Injections, Intra-Arterial; Injections, Intravenous; Liver Neoplasms - metabolism; Liver Neoplasms - therapy; Liver Regeneration - drug effects; Medicine; Medicine & Public Health; Portal Vein; Surgical Oncology; Topics; Treatment Outcome; 3-Bromopyruvate; Tumor metabolism; PET imaging; Warburg effect
• ISSN: 1868-6974; 1868-6982
• DOI: 10.1007/s00534-009-0236-x

Recent research in tumor metabolism has uncovered cancer-cell-specific pathways that cancer cells depend on for energy production. 3-Bromopyruvate (3-BrPA), a specific alkylating agent and potent ATP inhibitor, has been shown both in vitro and in vivo to disrupt some of these cancer-specific metabolic pathways, thereby leading to the demise of the cancer cells through apoptosis. 3-BrPA has been successfully tested in animal models of liver cancer. For optimal results, 3-BrPA can be delivered intra-arterially, with minimal toxicity to the surrounding hepatic parenchyma. In the era of development of drugs with lower toxicity for the treatment of liver cancer, inhibition of cancer metabolism with 3-BrPA appears to be a very attractive potent novel therapeutic option.