What's New With Testicular Cancer

There has been a breakthrough with a new class of chemotherapy drugs, called endonuclease inhibitors. One such medication, which has been researched in Russia and Germany, was called "Ukrain"(, PDF document, be patient when loading). It contains alkaloids from the plant greater celandine. Ref. 3 describes the biochemical mechanism of the antitumor activity. Ref. 4 reports regarding a 2.5-year clinical experience with a group of 76 incurable cancer patients in Germany. Seminoma patients had the best response rate with 75% responding with a complete disappearance of the tumor and another 25% experiencing a partial remission.

It will only be a matter of time before this type of medication is incorporated into the arsenal of other chemotherapeutic agents.

However, like with all other effective medications, proper clinical trials have to be done by reputable Cancer Clinics in North America, before the FDA can give approval to such newer medications. However, having said so, the FDA has approved a similar medicine, the tyrosine kinase inhibitor Gleevec, in record time for the leukemia, CML.

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Cancer overview

Testicular cancer

Disclaimer:

This outline is only a teaching aid to patients and should stimulate you to ask the right questions when seeing your doctor. However, the responsibility of treatment stays in the hands of your doctor and you.

References:

1. Cancer: Principles &Practice of Oncology.4th edition. Edited by Vincent T. DeVita, Jr. et al. Lippincott, Philadelphia,PA, 1993. Chapter on Cancer of the Testis.

2. Cancer: Principles&Practice of Oncology. 5th edition, volume 1. Edited by Vincent T. DeVita, Jr. et al. Lippincott-Raven Publ., Philadelphia,PA, 1997. Chapter on Cancer of the Testis.

3. Votrin II et al. Drugs Exp Clin Res 2000;26(5-6):267-273.

4. B Aschhoff Drugs Exp Clin Res 2000;26(5-6):249-252.

Last Modified: Feb. 3, 2008