NCI Drug Dictionary
The NCI Drug Dictionary contains technical definitions and synonyms for drugs/agents used to treat patients with cancer or conditions related to cancer. Each drug entry includes links to check for clinical trials listed in NCI's List of Cancer Clinical Trials.
- methotrexate-encapsulating autologous tumor-derived microparticles
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A suspension of autologous tumor-derived microparticles (ATMP), that are harvested from a patient with malignant pleural effusion, encapsulating the antimetabolic drug methotrexate (MTX), with potential anticancer activity. Although the exact mechanism(s) of action through which this agent exerts its effect has yet to be fully elucidated, upon administration of MTX-ATMP, the MTX moiety is released and internalized by tumor cells. It then binds to and inhibits the enzyme dihydrofolate reductase. This results in the inhibition of purine nucleotide synthesis and leads to decreased synthesis of both DNA and RNA, which induces cell death. Presumably, the encapsulation of MTX by the ATMP improves its bioavailability and decreases its toxicity. Check for active clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)
Abbreviation: MTX-ATMP