TS-041504 — Dr. Nicholas Denko and colleagues at The Ohio State University have developed papaverine derivatives that can be used as metabolic radiosensitizers in hypoxic tumors. The compounds make cancer cells more sensitive to radiation therapy without the concomitant toxicity issues that can occur as a side-effect of papaverine.
Radiation therapy is a common treatment for cancerous tumors. However, environmental conditions in the tumor can influence sensitivity to radiation therapy, and some cells are resistant to treatment. For example, hypoxic cells (those with low levels of oxygen) in tumors such as lung, glioblastoma,…