TUMOR DRUG-RESISTANCE - A CHALLENGE TO THERAPISTS AND BIOLOGISTS

Cancer is the second largest cause of death after cardiovascular disea se in the United States. Systemic chemotherapy is the major treatment modality for a number of common cancers, such as lymphomas, leukemias, and for the majority of disseminated tumors. The emergence of drug-re sistant tumor cells is the major cause of subsequent cancer treatment failures. Overcoming drug resistance is a difficult problem that remai ns unresolved; results to date suggest that tumor drug-resistance will continue to be a major limitation to success with anticancer chemothe rapy. Short term, a multi-disciplinary treatment of cancer (eg, via ca ncer centers) should seek to eradicate cancer effectively at the time of diagnosis, with encouragement of patients to participate in clinica l trials (eg, adjuvant chemotherapy), Long-term goals for cancer manag ement should include cancer prevention and early detection through int ensive public education, incentives for participation in early detecti on programs, and continued research, with a focus on mechanisms of tum or drug-resistance.