A novel approach to soft tissue sarcoma therapy : targeting tumor hypoxia

Single agent doxorubin was introduced for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma beginning in the 1970’s. Since then, combination therapies with an anthracylcine backbone are commonly used, but have failed to show significant improvements in survival compared to single agent doxorubicin. TH-302, a pro-drug activated by tumor hypoxia, is a promising new therapeutic agent for soft tissue sarcomas. This novel agent has been shown to be safe in phase I and II clinical trials with minimal added toxicity. The data has suggested that TH-302 in addition to doxorubicin may have promising activity when compared to traditional combination therapy. A phase 3 study comparing TH-302 in addition to doxorubicin against doxorubicin alone has completed accrual. An improvement in outcomes would be proof of principal that targeting tumor hypoxia is an effective strategy for the treatment of soft tissue sarcoma.