7/4/2006 New Emerging Drugs in Soft Tissue Sarcoma Amalia Milanoa, Gaetano Apicea, Ettore Ferraria, Flavio Faziolia, Vincenzo de Rosaa, Antonella Salzano de Lunaa, Rosario Vincenzo Iaffaiolia and Francesco Caponigro , a, aIstituto Nazionale Tumori, Fondazione G. Pascale, Via M. Semmola, 80131 Napoli, Italy Accepted 28 December 2005.  Available online 13 March 2006. Abstract Doxorubicin and ifosfamide are the two most active drugs in the treatment of patients with advanced, soft tissue sarcoma (STS) of most histologic subtypes, aside from gastrointestinal stromal tumor (GIST). However, after failure of these drugs, alone or in combination, patients with advanced STS have few therapeutic options and the search for new active drugs is well worth pursuing. ET-743, a DNA minor groove binder, which blocks cell cycle progression in G2/M phase through a p53-independent apoptotic process, represents the most promising among novel compounds in STS, since recently completed phase II trials have consistently shown high survival, in spite of the relatively low incidence of major objective responses. The potential for combination with other active compounds further increases the appeal of ET-743. Imatinib mesylate is being tested also in STS other than GIST, which can overexpress one or more of the tyrosine kinases inhibited by imatinib; however, negative data have recently been presented. Clinical studies with a number of other compounds are ongoing or planned. However, investigators involved in the management of patients with advanced STS are to be increasingly aware of the emergence of new molecular targets and genetic profiles in different histologic subtypes, according to which treatment strategies should be adapted. Critical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology Volume 59, Issue 1, July 2006, Pages 74-84 Keywords: ET-743; Imatinib; New drugs; Soft tissue sarcoma Corresponding author. Tel.: +39 081 5903362; fax: +39 081 5903822. To view entire article, click here:  http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6T5S-4JG5FFX-3&_user=10&_rdoc=1&_fmt=&_orig=search&_sort=d&view=c&_acct=C000050221&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_userid=10&md5=7ca402af15bddeb8a6f2300f11489486