TY - JOUR KW - Angiogenesis Inhibitors KW - Drug Approval KW - Erythema Nodosum KW - Graft vs Host Disease KW - Humans KW - Immune System Diseases KW - Immunosuppressive Agents KW - Leprostatic Agents KW - Leprosy, lepromatous KW - Multiple Myeloma KW - Netherlands KW - Teratogens KW - Thalidomide KW - United States AU - Wu K L AU - Sonneveld P AB -

Thalidomide was withdrawn from the market in the early sixties because of its teratogenic effects. Despite forty years of research, the mechanism of thalidomide embryopathy has remained unsolved. Thalidomide has various immunomodulatory effects. Thalidomide inhibits TNF alpha production, has T-cell costimulatory properties and modulates the expression of cell surface molecules on leukocytes in vivo. Thalidomide also has anti-angiogenic activity in vivo. Angiogenesis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies such as multiple myeloma and lymphoma. In clinical studies, thalidomide has been used as an inhibitor of angiogenesis. Erythema nodosum leprosum is the only registered indication for the use of thalidomide in the United States of America. Thalidomide is also effective in the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease, mucocutaneous lesions in Behçet's syndrome and HIV infections, and multiple myeloma.

BT - Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde C1 - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12190008?dopt=Abstract DA - 2002 Aug 03 IS - 31 J2 - Ned Tijdschr Geneeskd LA - dut N2 -

Thalidomide was withdrawn from the market in the early sixties because of its teratogenic effects. Despite forty years of research, the mechanism of thalidomide embryopathy has remained unsolved. Thalidomide has various immunomodulatory effects. Thalidomide inhibits TNF alpha production, has T-cell costimulatory properties and modulates the expression of cell surface molecules on leukocytes in vivo. Thalidomide also has anti-angiogenic activity in vivo. Angiogenesis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of both solid tumours and hematologic malignancies such as multiple myeloma and lymphoma. In clinical studies, thalidomide has been used as an inhibitor of angiogenesis. Erythema nodosum leprosum is the only registered indication for the use of thalidomide in the United States of America. Thalidomide is also effective in the treatment of chronic graft-versus-host disease, mucocutaneous lesions in Behçet's syndrome and HIV infections, and multiple myeloma.

PY - 2002 SP - 1438 EP - 41 T2 - Nederlands tijdschrift voor geneeskunde TI - [Thalidomide: new uses for an old drug]. VL - 146 SN - 0028-2162 ER -