Polymeric Platinum‐Containing Drugs in the Treatment of Cancer

Malignant neoplasms, cancers, are the second leading cause of death in the United States. In 1964 Rosenberg and co-workers discovered that in the presence of platinum electrodes E. coli failed to divide but continued growing, giving filamentous cells. The cause of the inhibition of cell division was found to be cis-diaminedichloroplatinum (II), also known as cis-DDP and cisplatin. Cisplatin is the most widely used anticancer agent. The mechanism of action of cisplatin is reviewed. The synthesis and use of polymeric derivatives of cisplatin is reviewed as is the synthesis and biological use of polymeric derivatives of carboplatinum, the two commercially used anticancer drugs. The review includes platinum-bound and platinum-backbone drugs. The argument for the use of platinum-bound and platinum-backbone drugs is given and discussed.