In‐Depth Look: Anti‐TNF‐α Therapies

Abstract

Today, anti ‐tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) drugs are being successfully used in the treatment of various inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and Crohn's disease. In later years, research showed that TNF‐α is involved in the progression of cancer in many other ways besides causing cancer‐associated cachexia. Anti‐TNF‐α therapy aiming to block TNF‐α, directly or indirectly, is now being investigated for treatment as well as for supportive care in cancer patients. Currently, it appears to be one of the promising approaches in resistant and nonresistant tumors as well as for cancer‐associated cachexia. This chapter will review some of the approaches being exploited to block TNF‐α and the anti‐TNF‐α drugs that have made it to clinical trials or have been approved by U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for anticancer therapy.