Question ID: WS-12
Submitted by: Stephen Lippard
January 26, 2011
Cisplatin is one of the most widely used anticancer drugs, being used in the clinic for over 30 years. Its efficacy against testicular cancers is extremely high compared to all other tumors. My question is: WHY? The answer to this question would have profound implications in the design of newer generation platinum compounds to treat cancer.
Average Score: 5.0
 (1 evaluation)Provocativeness - 5.0
Novelty - 4.0
Public Health Significance - 5.0
Feasibility - 5.0
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Comments
Submitted By Michael Lerman
This question is highly important. Indeed, high-dose cisplatin-based chemotherapy represents a curative option for patients with testicular germ cell tumors including seminoma and nonseminomas, namely embryonal carcinoma, yolk-sac tumor, teratoma, and choriocarcinoma. The curative effect is most likely due to large growth fractions in these solid tumors and probably high expression of protein target(s) of cisplatin. At least one such protein target of cisplatin was identified in species ranging from yeast to humans. Michael Lerman
