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In the War Against Solid Tumors Arsenic Trioxide Need Partners

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Abstract

In the past decade, the therapeutic potential of arsenic trioxide (ATO) in the treatment of acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) was recognized. This encouraged other investigators to test the efficacy of ATO in the management of other hematological and solid tumor malignancies. Notably, as a single agent, arsenic trioxide did not benefit patients diagnosed with solid tumors. However, when it was combined with other agents, treatment benefit emerged. In this article, we have summarized the outcome of clinical trials that used arsenic trioxide as a single agent as well as in combination settings in patients diagnosed with solid tumors. We have also reviewed possible additional mechanisms by which ATO may be useful as a chemosensitizer in combination therapy. We hope that our review will encourage clinical investigators to rationally combine ATO with additional chemotherapeutic agents in treating patients diagnosed with solid tumors.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by NCI 1R21CA117116-01A2, Sheibar Foundation, and McDonald Research foundation grants to BA. Additional support was provided by the American Cancer Society Institutional Research Grant (IRG no. 98-277-07), Interdisciplinary Research Development Initiative (IRDI no. 102504) award, and University of Miami Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) Pilot Research Grant (CTSI-2013-P03) to PRS. The Pilot and Collaborative Translational and Clinical Studies component is supported by Grant No. 1UL1TR000460, the University of Miami CTSI, from the National Center for Advancing Translational Sciences and the National Institute on Minority Health and Health Disparities. In our effort to keep this article concise and focused, we regret not to have included all citations.

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We declare no competing interests.

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  1. Department of Medicine, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, 1550 NW 10th Avenue, FOX 431A, Miami, FL, 33136, USA

    Pochi R. Subbarayan & Bach Ardalan

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  1. Pochi R. Subbarayan
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  2. Bach Ardalan
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Correspondence to Bach Ardalan.

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Subbarayan, P.R., Ardalan, B. In the War Against Solid Tumors Arsenic Trioxide Need Partners. J Gastrointest Canc 45, 363–371 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-014-9617-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12029-014-9617-8

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