| Cancer is one of the major killers in the developed world, accounting for over one million deaths in North America and Europe annually. In the US, the annual incidence of cancer is approximately 1,200,000, and the number of people dying of the disease each year is about 500,000 (1). The American Cancer Society estimates that one in three Americans will develop cancer in his or her lifetime. Between 1970 and 1990, the overall five-year survival rate of treated cancer patients improved by about 10 per cent as a result of earlier detection, improved radio- and chemotherapies and, possibly, changes in living habits. However, with the exception of small cell lung carcinoma and breast cancer, improvement in advanced stages has been negligible. Moreover, the lack of specificity of radio- and chemotherapies causes severe side effects. Therefore, new therapies with better efficacy and specificity are needed. |
