Cancer therapy: phenothiazines in an unexpected role

Abstract

Four lines of evidence (clinical findings, epidemiology, inhibition of tumor growth together with prolongation of survival time, and mechanism of action) which suggest that certain phenothiazines, particularly chlorpromazine, possess a range of anti-neoplastic activities in man and in rodents which has not been generally recognised are reviewed and discussed. Chlorpromazine interferes with energy production in sensitive tumours; the mode of action appears to correspond to autooxidative cellular injury, a common form of cell death.