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World J Cardiol. May 26, 2015; 7(5): 238-242
Published online May 26, 2015. doi: 10.4330/wjc.v7.i5.238
Insights into cardio-oncology: Polypharmacology of quinazoline-based α1-adrenoceptor antagonists
Salvatore Patanè
Salvatore Patanè, Cardiologia Ospedale San Vincenzo, Taormina (Me) Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Messina, 98039 Taormina, Messina, Italy
Author contributions: Patanè S solely contributed to this manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest: None declared.
Open-Access: This article is an open-access article which was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Correspondence to: Salvatore Patanè, MD, Cardiologia Ospedale San Vincenzo, Taormina (Me) Azienda Sanitaria Provinciale di Messina, Contrada Sirina, 98039 Taormina, Messina, Italy. patane-@libero.it
Telephone: +39-3402783962
Received: September 28, 2014
Peer-review started: September 28, 2014
First decision: December 17, 2014
Revised: January 12, 2015
Accepted: January 30, 2015
Article in press: February 2, 2015
Published online: May 26, 2015
Processing time: 234 Days and 21.3 Hours
Abstract

New uses of cardiovascular drugs with proven experience are emerging, including for treating cancer. Quinazoline is a compound made up of two fused six member simple aromatic rings, benzene and pyrimidine rings, with several biological effects. Cardiologists first used quinazoline-based α1-adrenoceptor antagonists prazosin, doxazosin, and terazosin; currently available data support their use as safe, well tolerated, and effective add-on therapy in uncontrolled hypertension with additional favourable metabolic effects. Recent findings highlight the anticancer effects of quinazoline-based α1-adrenoceptor antagonists, indicating that they may have a significant role in uncontrolled hypertensive cancer patients without signs of ischemia.

Keywords: Cardio-oncology; Multidrug resistance; Prazosin; Terazosin; Doxazosin

Core tip: New uses of cardiovascular drugs with proven experience and without high cost have been emerging, including to have anticancer abilities by targeting human ether-a-go-go-related gene K(+) channels, epidermal growth factor receptors, vascular endothelial growth factor receptors, as well as to overcome cancer multidrug resistance. Quinazoline-based α1-adrenoceptor antagonists (doxazosin, prazosin, and terazosin) exhibit anticancer abilities and emerging findings indicate that these drugs may have a significant role in uncontrolled hypertensive cancer patients without signs of ischemia.