Radiation-activated cytotoxin therapy

摘要

A method of treating neoplastic disease which comprises the steps of: (a) administering to a patient in need of such treatment an effective amount of a radiation-activated cytotoxin prodrug (RACP) which has low toxicity, which can be reduced by reducing agents generated by the radiolysis of water (the equated electron and/or the hydrogen radical) and which, upon reduction, releases a sufficient amount of an effector of sufficient cytotoxic potency to kill tumour cells; and (b) irradiating said tumour cells to reduce the prodrug which is present at the locus of said tumour cells to release said cytotoxic effector. In preferred embodiments, the RACP is of formula (I), (VI), (VII) or (VIII).