Title:Combination Therapy of Chemotherapy or Radiotherapy and the
Neurokinin-1 Receptor Antagonist Aprepitant: A New Antitumor
Strategy?
Volume: 30
Issue: 16
Author(s): Prema Robinson*, Rafael Coveñas and Miguel Muñoz*
Affiliation:
- Department of Infectious Diseases, Infection Control and Employee Health, The University of Texas MD
Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX 77030, USA
- Virgen
del Rocío University Hospital, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit, Research Laboratory on Neuropeptides
(IBIS), Seville, Spain
Keywords:
Aprepitant, NK-1 receptor antagonist, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, substance P, combination therapy, antitumor, cancer.
Abstract:
Background: Although chemotherapy is predominantly used for cancer treatment,
it can be ineffective and can induce serious side effects and lead to chemoresistance.
It is essential to discover novel drugs that can enhance the antitumor activity and
at the same time, counteract the severe side effects, of chemotherapy. The substance P
(SP)/neurokinin-1 receptor (NK-1R) interaction system is known to play a key role in the
pathogenesis of cancer. Studies with NK-1R antagonists (such as aprepitant) denote that
the NK-1R is a potential target for the treatment of cancer. Aprepitant combined with major
chemotherapeutic drugs has shown the potential to increase antitumor activity and decrease
side effects.
Objective: Since malignant tumor cancer cells overexpress the NK-1R, this combination
therapy is a promising approach for the treatment of all kinds of cancer. Since aprepitant
shows potential of being a broad-antitumor drug, the repurposing of this NK-1R antagonist
as an antitumor agent is warranted. Studies pertaining to combination therapy of
aprepitant/radiotherapy will also be outlined in this review. The aim of this review is to
provide an update on combinational studies pertaining to chemotherapy/radiotherapy and
NK-1R antagonist in cancer.
Conclusion: This combination strategy once confirmed, might open the door to a new
era in chemotherapy and radiotherapy with greater antitumor activity and fewer side effects.
This treatment strategy could possibly translate into higher cure rates, better quality
of life and fewer sequelae in cancer patients.