Table I.
Potential and risk of drugs to improve symptoms of patients with cancer and COVID-19.
| Author, year | Drugs | Targets | Mechanisms of anticancer and antiviral | Types of cancer treated | Risk | (Refs.) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luo et al, 2020, Yekedüzet al, 2020, Prestiet al, 2021, Klopfensteinet al, 2020, Toniatiet al, 2020, Luo, 2020 | Combination therapy of ICI and Tocilizumab/Sarilumab | PD-1/CTLA-4; IL-6 | Activating the immune system; Reducing the risk of immune-related adverse events caused by immunotherapy and viral infection | Lung cancer, stomach cancer, bowel cancer, liver cancer, kidney cancer, bladder cancer, head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, cervical cancer, hodgkin lymphoma, mediastinal diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Merkel cell carcinoma and other solid tumors | Cytokine storms | (83,97, 100-103) |
| Mihalopouloset al, 2020, Liet al, 2020, Rico-Mesaet al, 2020, De Spiegeleeret al, 2020 | ACEI/ARB | ACE; AⅡR | Antagonizing tumor growth and reducing cancer incidence by reducing Ang II production; Alleviating acute lung injury and reducing risk of lung failure | Prostate cancer and advanced ovarian cancer | Rebound ACE2 receptor upregulation may increase the risk of viral infection | (110-113) |
| De Spiegeleeret al, 2020, Leeet al, 2020 | Statins | HMG-CoA reductase | Reducing TC and LDL levels; anti-tumor proliferation; pro-tumor apoptosis; anti-tumor invasion and radiosensitization; reducing inflammation in patients with pneumonia | Prostate cancer, glioma, esophageal cancer, stomach cancer, colon cancer, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer and kidney cancer | Long-term use may increase the risk of invasive ductal carcinoma and lobular carcinoma | (113,117) |
| Aldinucciet al, 2020, Pattersonet al, 2021, Pattersonet al, 2020 | Maraviroc//Vicriviroc Leronlimab | CCR5 | Increasing CD4/CD8 ratios; promoting the conversion of TAMs from M2 to M1; down-regulating chemokines and cytokines stimulating tumor growth; improving inflammatory microenvironment around tumor; Decreasing inflammatory cytokines and SARS-CoV-2 RNA in plasma | Metastatic colorectal cancer and breast cancer | Uncertain | (118-120) |
| Choueiriet al, 2020, Aeppliet al, 2020, Wanget al, 2019 | Sunitinib | AAK1, VEGF | Anti-tumor angiogenesis; inhibiting virus invasion and transport in host cells | Advanced hepatocellular carcinoma and renal cell carcinoma | Cardiotoxicity caused by off-target effects | (121-123) |
| El Bairiet al, 2020, Panget al, 2021 | Bevacizumab | VEGF | Disruption of the malignant neo- angiogenesis | Advanced ovarian cancer, renal cell carcinoma and colorectal cancer | Leukopenia and thromboembolism | (126,127) |
| Abdelgalilet al, 2020, Birket al, 2020 | Erlotinib | AAK1, EGFR | Anti-tumor angiogenesis; inhibiting tumor invasion and metastasis; promoting tumor cell apoptosis; inhibiting virus invasion and transport in host cells | Metastatic EGFR-mutant non-small cell lung cancer | Uncertain | (124,125) |
| El Bairiet al, 2020, Stebbinget al, 2020 | Ruxolitinib | JAK-STAT pathway | Inhibiting tumor cell proliferation and survival by blocking abnormal activation of JAK-STAT signal; suppressing excessive immune activation, dampening the cytokine storm and improving ARDS caused by COVID-19 | Various myeloproliferative malignancies including myelofibrosis and polycythemia vera | Uncertain | (126,128) |
| El Bairiet al, 2020, Jinet al, 2020 | Carmofur | Wnt/β-catenin | Exerting anti-proliferative and anti-metastatic effects by blocking the Wnt/β-catenin signaling pathway; inhibiting the viral protease of SARS-CoV-2 through the covalent binding between the carbonyl reactive group and the catalytic Cys145 | Colon cancer and early breast cancer | Uncertain | (126,129) |
| El Bairiet al, 2020, Martinet al, 2020 | Combination therapy of Toremifene and emodin | Oestrogen receptors; NSP-14 | Regulating the level of estrogen in patients with breast cancer; inhibiting the fusion between the virus and the endosomal membrane by blocking the spike protein and NSP14 of SARS-CoV-2 | Breast cancer | Uncertain | (126,130) |
COVID-19, corona virus disease 2019; HMG-CoA reductase, 3-hydroxy-3-methyl glutaryl coenzyme A reductase; TC, total cholesterol; LDL, low density lipoprotein; CCR5, CC-chemokine receptor 5; TAMs, tumor-associated macrophages; AAK1, AP2-related protein kinase 1; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; EGFR, Epidermal growth factor receptor; ACEI, angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor; ARB, angiotensin receptor blocker; AIIR, angiotensin II receptor; ICI, immune checkpoint inhibitors; PD-1, programmed death-1; CTLA-4, cytotoxic T lymphocyte associated antigen-4; ARDS, acute respiratory distress syndrome; SARS-CoV-2, Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2.