Research progress on diarrhea induced by molecular-targeted agents / 药学学报

ABSTRACT

In recent years, the focus of anti-cancer agents has gradually shifted from cytotoxic chemotherapy to molecular-targeted agents that interfere with frequently overexpressed or mutated molecules in cancer cells. Compared with cytotoxic chemotherapy, molecular-targeted therapy is a new biological therapy with higher specificity and lower toxicity, however, the adverse reactions caused by molecular-targeted agents cannot be ignored. Diarrhea is one of the most common adverse drug reactions, which could seriously affect the quality of life and even lead to treatment discontinuation and consequently decreased cancer control. To provide a reference for relevant research and clinical medication, we review the current reports on the incidence, pathogenic mechanism, and management of diarrhea induced by the molecular-targeted agents.