Cancer Chemotherapy with Purine and Pyrimidine Analogues

Abstract

It is evident from this brief and superficial review that a number of clinically useful compounds have resulted from an interdisciplinary effort in the field of purine and pyrimidine analogues. Most of the obvious modifications of the structures of the naturally occurring compounds have already been made, and the production of future novel analogues may require an increased sophistication in biochemistry and molecular design. None of them cures cancer, but with increased knowledge of the biochemical mode of action and pharmacological disposition, the therapeutic effectiveness of the existing compounds is certain to improve. The 2 major stumbling blocks to successful cancer chemotherapy remain: a lack of real selectivity against tumor cells and the certainty of the emergence of resistance. It will require greater insight into the biochemistry of malignancy and more subtlety in molecular design before these obstacles can be over-come.