Mechanisms of Resistance to Anticancer Agents

Abstract

Resistance to antitumor agents has been known to occur within tumour tissue since its discovery by Burchenal and his colleagues in 1950. Its meaning in the experimental laboratory may differ from that in the clinic in several important ways, stemming from the difference in the parameters with which it is possible to identify and measure it in each situation. The clinical experience is that of the patient who, following an initial success after treatment with the same initially active drug. the clinician is then faced with the problem of trying to identify another anticancer drug to which he can turn, in order, hopefully, to effect a suitable regression which would benefit the patient at least as much as the first dose of the earlier drug.