Abstract
One-third of all cancer categories in clinics have a high incidence of neoplasm metastasis. Neoplasm metastasis is one of the leading causes of cancer deaths. However, the prevailing therapeutic approach to this pathogenic process is presently unsatisfactory. Paradoxically to our efforts and expectations, except for some antibodies, no obvious improvements and therapeutic benefits in currently used drugs have been achieved until now. Therapeutic benefits in late-stage or elderly cancer patients are especially poor and useless. One of the reasons for this, we would guess, is the lack of therapeutic targets specifically related to neoplasm metastasis. In order to enhance the therapeutic efficacy, the development of antimetastatic drugs transcending from current drug-screening pathways is urgently needed. Antimetastatic drugs targeting aberrantly sialylated in tumors have evolved for about a quarter of a century and might be a future therapeutic option other than the currently utilized antimetastatic drugs, such as antivascular and MMP inhibitors. Since neoplasm tissues often manifest high levels of sialic acids and sialyl antigens or glycoligands, some types of sialic acid analogue, such as N-glycolylneuraminic acid (Nau5Gc), occurred in most tumor tissues which is normally absent in most humans. Consequently, more attention is needed to work with new therapeutic approaches to target these changes. This review addresses and discusses the latest six types of therapeutic approaches targeting sialic acids in metastatic tissues.
Highlights
Cancer has one of the highest-mortality rates, which places it in the top five causes of annual deaths in almost all countries
Important targets at sialylation alterations in neoplasm tissues have been documented, described, discussed, and highlighted, and drug developments based on the above-mentioned pathways are suggested
Since many sias-conjugates or sialyl antigens can inhibit tumor metastasis, siasconjugates can be regarded as potential therapeutic agents for treatments of neoplasm metastasis
Summary
Cancer has one of the highest-mortality rates, which places it in the top five causes of annual deaths in almost all countries. Clinical anticancer drug therapies currently in use have been mainly focusing on primary tumor growth, rather than targeting the pathologic courses of metastases. Important targets at sialylation alterations in neoplasm tissues have been documented, described, discussed, and highlighted, and drug developments based on the above-mentioned pathways are suggested.
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