Repurposing some older drugs that cross the blood-brain barrier and have potential anticancer activity to provide new treatment options for glioblastoma

Br J Clin Pharmacol. 2016 Feb;81(2):199-209. doi: 10.1111/bcp.12785. Epub 2015 Oct 30.

Abstract

Glioblastoma is a brain neoplasm with limited 5-year survival rates. Developments of new treatment regimens that improve patient survival in patients with glioblastoma are needed. It is likely that a number of existing drugs used in other conditions have potential anticancer effects that offer significant survival benefit to glioblastoma patients. Identification of such drugs could provide a novel treatment paradigm.

Keywords: antidepressants; antiepileptic drugs; antihypertensive; beta-blockers; glioblastoma; statins.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacokinetics
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / pharmacology
  • Antineoplastic Agents* / therapeutic use
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / drug effects*
  • Blood-Brain Barrier / metabolism
  • Brain Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Drug Repositioning*
  • Glioblastoma / drug therapy*
  • Glioblastoma / metabolism
  • Humans

Substances

  • Antineoplastic Agents