Similarities and differences between embryonic implantation and CTC invasion: Exploring the roles of abortifacients in cancer metastasis chemoprevention.

Abstract

Mifepristone (RU486) is a chemical contraceptive marketed in more than 55 countries and used by hundreds of millions of women worldwide. Current studies reported its uses by both genders for a safe and long-term psychotic depression and particularly for traditional cancer chemotherapy. Here, we investigated the multidisciplinary data from recent large epidemiological chemoprevention studies for long-term use of oral contraceptives to reduce cancer risk, and from the unsuccessful clinical trials of mifepristone used as a post-metastatic anticancer drug, and elucidated the similarities and differences in cellular and molecular processes between embryonic implantation to endometrium and adhesion/invasion of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) to vascular endothelium. The deep analyses provide a stronger scientific basis for repurposing abortifacients for safe and effective cancer metastatic chemoprevention. Initiation of such cancer drug development strategy represents a paradigm shift from traditional post-metastasis treatments to novel pre-metastasis chemoprevention.

• Authors: Chunlian Zhong, Yusheng Lu, Yumei Li, Huanzhang Xie, Guiyu Zhou, Lee Jia
• Journal: European journal of medicinal chemistry (Eur J Med Chem) Vol. 237 Pg. 114416 (Jul 05 2022) ISSN: 1768-3254 [Electronic] France
• PMID: 35500473 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Review)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Masson SAS. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Abortifacient Agents
• Antineoplastic Agents
• Mifepristone

Topics

• Abortifacient Agents (chemistry, therapeutic use)
• Antineoplastic Agents (pharmacology, therapeutic use)
• Cell Line, Tumor
• Chemoprevention
• Female
• Humans
• Male
• Mifepristone (chemistry)
• Neoplasm Metastasis (drug therapy, prevention & control)