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Epigenetic therapy is a novel tumor therapeutic method and refers to the targeting of the aberrant epigenetic modifications presumably at cancer-related genes by chemicals which are epigenetic targeting drugs (ETDs). Not like in treating hematopoietic cancer, the clinical trials investigating the potential use of ETDs in the solid tumor is not encouraging. Instead, the curative effects of ETD delivered together with DNA targeting chemo drugs (DTDs) are quite promising according to our meta-analysis. To investigate the synergistic mechanism of ETD and DTD drug combination, the therapeutic effect was studied using both cell lines and mouse engrafted tumors. Mechanically we show that HDAC inhibitors and DNMT inhibitors are capable of increasing the chromatin accessibility to cisplatin (CP) and doxorubicin (Dox) through chromatin decompaction globally. Consequently, the combination of ETD and DTD enhances the DTD induced DNA damage and cell death. Engrafted tumors in SCID mice also show increased sensitivity to irradiation (IR) or CP when the tumors were pretreated by ETDs. Given the limited therapeutic effect of ETD alone, these results strongly suggest that the combination of DTD, including irradiation, and ETD treatment is a very promising choice in clinical solid tumor therapy.

Objective: To investigate the response rate (RR), time to tumor progression (TTP), quality of life (QOL) and adverse reaction in the treatment of pretreated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) using escalated doses of rh-endostatin (YH-16), and to determine the optimal dose for clinical application., Methods: In this phase II randomized, controlled, multicenter trial, the patients were randomly divided into two groups to receive daily 3 hours intravenous infusion of either 7.5 mg x m(-2) or 15 mg/m(2) YH-16 for 28 days., Results: Totally, 68 patients were entered and 60 patients were evaluable. There were no differences in RR (3.0% in both groups, P > 0.05), median TTP (ITT: 60 days versus 71 days, P > 0.05), QOL and incidence rate of adverse reactions (48.6% versus 38.7%, P > 0.05). No significant unexpected adverse events were observed., Conclusion: Rh-endostatin may have anti-tumor activity with high clinical benefit rate and is well tolerated in pretreated advanced NSCLC patients. The dose of 7.5 mg x (m(2))(-1) x d(-1) is clinically recommended.

Background & Objective: Oxaliplatin is effective for the advanced colorectal cancer (CRC) as a second-line drug; however, the efficiency and adverse reaction of oxaliplatin made in China are not yet clear. The aim of this project was to evaluate the efficacy and the toxicities of oxaliplatin made in China in the treatment of the patients with advanced CRC who were resistant to 5-fluorouracil (5-Fu)., Methods: The previously 5-FU-resistant patients with CRC were treated with single agent of oxaliplatin 130 mg/m(2), i.v., d1, repeated every 3 weeks., Results: A total of 31 cases with advanced CRC resistant to 5-Fu were enrolled, and 28 cases were valuable for efficacy assessment. One patient reached complete response (CR), 3 reached partial response (PR), and the overall response rate was 14.29% (with ITT equal to 12.9%). The major adverse effects were mild neuro-sensory toxicity, mild myelosuppression,and nausea/vomiting., Conclusion: The oxaliplatin made in China is effective in the treatment of advanced CRC resistant to 5-Fu, and the adverse effects are mild.