Sigma receptor (σR) ligands have proven to be useful as cancer diagnostics and anticancer therapeutics and their ligands have been developed as molecular probes in oncology. Moreover, various σR ligands generate cancer cell death in vitro and in vivo. These σR ligands have exhibited promising results against numerous human and rodent cancers and are investigated under preclinical and clinical study trials, indicating a new category of drugs in cancer therapy.
Keywords: anticancer activity; antiproliferative activity; biomarkers; radiolabeled and fluorescent probes; sigma 1 receptor antagonist; sigma 2 receptor agonist.