Chemotherapy resistance and retreatment: a dogma revisited

Clin Colorectal Cancer. 2010 Apr;9(2):E1-4. doi: 10.3816/CCC.2010.n.026.

Abstract

The prevailing belief in cancer therapy is that retreatment with a given drug after the emergence of resistance is ineffective. Herein, we report several cases in which retreatment with drugs that had failed earlier in the disease trajectory caused renewed tumor regression. The possible biologic underpinnings that might explain this phenomenon are discussed.

Publication types

  • Case Reports
  • Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural

MeSH terms

  • Adenocarcinoma / drug therapy
  • Adenocarcinoma / secondary
  • Adult
  • Antineoplastic Agents / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents / therapeutic use*
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen / analysis
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Colorectal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Disease Progression
  • Drug Resistance, Neoplasm*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Liver Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Liver Neoplasms / secondary*
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Treatment Failure

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents
  • Carcinoembryonic Antigen