Differentiation Therapy
Treatment approach that promotes cancer cell maturation toward a more differentiated, less aggressive phenotype rather than directly killing cells.
Full Definition
Differentiation therapy aims to induce cancer cells to mature into more specialized, less proliferative forms that resemble normal cells. This approach is based on the concept that many cancers involve blocks in normal cellular differentiation programs, leaving cells in primitive, highly proliferative states. Classic examples include all-trans retinoic acid (ATRA) treatment for acute promyelocytic leukemia and arsenic trioxide therapy. Unlike conventional cytotoxic approaches, differentiation therapy can transform malignant cells into functional, non-dividing cells. This strategy has shown particular success in certain hematologic malignancies and is being investigated in solid tumors, often in combination with other therapeutic modalities.
In Context
- "ATRA differentiation therapy transformed leukemic promyelocytes into mature granulocytes in this APL patient." — Treatment report
- "The clinical trial evaluated differentiation therapy combined with epigenetic modifiers in myelodysplastic syndrome." — Clinical protocol