
Thalidomide itself is already showing promise, in combination with chemotherapy, for treating some forms of cancer. Since it is not the Thalidomide molecule itself that is doing this, but metabolites of thalidomide, new drugs were created similar to the supposed active metabolites. 

<b>New drugs based on Thalidomide are showing great promise as potent anti-cancer medications. The researchers looked at two different versions of the drug called IMiDs and SelCIDs and found that they were at least 10 times as potent as Thalidomide in preventing the growth of blood vessels.</b>
The research, carried out at St George's Hospital Medical School in London by Dr Keith Dredge also shows that these drugs can stimulate the immune system, enhancing the body's natural anti-cancer defenses or help reduce cancer-causing inflammation.  
  
Two forms of ImiD are already being used in early clinical trials for treating advanced cancer, one at St George's and another at Guy's Hospital, also in London.  [British Journal of Cancer, 2002]


Another doctor wrote in to say:

Thalidomide is a very complex drug. While it does act as an angiogenesis inhibitor, in many settings Thalidomide has molecular and clinical effects on the immune, nervous and cutaneous systems and pathways we are not even near understanding. In my experience with Thalidomide mainly in renal cell cancer it can produce major shrinkage of tumors in as many as 10% of patients with perhaps another 30-40% having stabilization of disease for a variable period of time, sometimes for a long time. Those who do not respond may grow rapidly or slowly but whether Thalidomide contributes to growth rate in any way is unclear. The major problem with Thalidomide is its side effect profile especially peripheral neuropathy and central nervous effects like visual hallucinations, extreme sleepiness and mood disturbance.

I have treated one patient with Adrenocortical Carcinoma with Thalidomide. She responded well initially and then was stable for many months before we stopped therapy because of side effects. She has intermittently taken Thalidomide for intervals of about 3 months since then, starting when here disease appears to be growing on chest Xray.

Many groups are working on thalidomide analogues as potential new drugs as well as other antiangiogenic agents.

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