Edaravone: A Novel Possible Drug for Cancer Treatment? - Review

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Patrick

Cancer remains a leading cause of death despite major progress in deciphering tumor causes and progression. Growing interest in drug repurposing has shifted attention to approved medications for new therapeutic uses. Edaravone is already used for cerebral infarction and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, and its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects have prompted study in cancer. This comprehensive review updates its applications, evaluating antitumor potential alone or with other drugs and its adjuvant role in reducing conventional treatment side effects.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryHealthcare

FormatPDF

Pages19

Reading Time48 min

AccessFree to download

Abstract

Keywords

1. Introduction

Cancer background and mechanisms

Need for new strategies and challenges in current therapies

Drug repurposing and edaravone as a candidate

Review scope and aims

Review Edaravone: A Novel Possible Drug for Cancer Treatment? Elisa Duranti †, Nicoletta Cordani † and Chiara Villa * Citation: Duranti, E.; Cordani, N.; Villa, C. Edaravone: A Novel Possible Drug for Cancer Treatment? Int. J. Mol. Sci. 2024, 25, 1633 . [https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ijms25031633](https://doi.org/ 10.3390/ijms25031633) Academic Editor: Elena Andreucci Received: 22 December 2023 Revised: 18 January 2024 Accepted: 25 January 2024 Published: 29 January 2024 Copyright: © 2024 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license ([https://](https://)[ ](https://)[creativecommons.org/licenses/by/](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[ ](creativecommons.org/licenses/by/)[4.0/](4.0/)) . School of Medicine and Surgery, University of Milano-Bicocca, 20900 Monza, Italy; [e.duranti@campus.unimib.it](e.duranti@campus.unimib.it) (E.D.); [nicoletta.cordani@unimib.it](nicoletta.cordani@unimib.it) (N.C.) * Correspondence: [chiara.villa@unimib.it](chiara.villa@unimib.it); Tel.: +39-02-6448-8138 † These authors contributed equally to this work. Abstract: Despite significant advancements in understanding the causes and progression of tumors, cancer remains one of the leading causes of death worldwide. In light of advances in cancer therapy, there has been a growing interest in drug repurposing, which involves exploring new uses for medications that are already approved for clinical use. One such medication is edaravone, which is currently used to manage patients with cerebral infarction and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Due to its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, edaravone has also been investigated for its potential activities in treating cancer, notably as an anti-proliferative and cytoprotective drug against side effects induced by traditional cancer therapies. This comprehensive review aims to provide updates on the various applications of edaravone in cancer therapy. It explores its potential as a standalone antitumor drug, either used alone or in combination with other medications, as well as its role as an adjuvant to mitigate the side effects of conventional anticancer treatments. Keywords: edaravone; oxidative stress; cancer 1. Introduction Despite extensive efforts to find new treatment approaches, cancer remains a dominant cause of death and a significant burden on healthcare systems around the world [1] . Cancer refers to a group of disorders characterized by uncontrolled cell growth. This growth is caused by the activation of proto-oncogenes and/or the inactivation of tumor-suppressor genes [2,3] . The process of transforming a normal cell into a cancerous one involves several steps. This transformation leads to an increased rate of cell division, the ability to escape signals that inhibit cell growth and death, the initiation of angiogenesis (formation of new blood vessels), and ultimately, the activation of programs that enable the invasion of surrounding tissues and metastasis [4–6] . Throughout cancer progression, tumors tend to exhibit notable heterogeneity, resulting in diverse cell populations with distinct molecular characteristics and varied responses to therapies [7] . This heterogeneity can manifest spatially and temporally and plays a crucial role in the development of resistance phenotypes, which are influenced by selective pressures exerted during treatment administration. Therefore, a comprehensive understanding of these intricate processes is essential for the development of targeted and efficacious treatments [7] . The increasing global burden of cancer highlights the pressing need to develop new strategies that can prevent these diseases from occurring and explore new therapeutic targets while identifying innovative treatments. The main focus for achieving complete cancer remission is typically centered around surgically removin

FAQs

What is edaravone, and why is it considered for cancer treatment?

Edaravone is a medication used clinically for cerebral infarction and amyotrophic lateral sclerosis. Its antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties have led to investigation of potential anti-proliferative and cytoprotective activities in cancer.

How does drug repurposing relate to the review’s focus?

Drug repurposing identifies new therapeutic uses for already approved drugs. The review emphasizes this approach as an alternative to de novo drug development, highlighting advantages such as reduced cost and time and existing preclinical and clinical knowledge.

What does the review aim to cover about edaravone in cancer therapy?

The review provides updates on edaravone’s applications in cancer, including its potential as a standalone antitumor drug, its use alone or in combination with other medications, and its role as an adjuvant to mitigate side effects from conventional anticancer treatments.

Sep 21, 2026

Upload by Patrick