National Cancer Institute
U.S. National Institutes of Health | www.cancer.gov

NCI Home
Cancer Topics
Clinical Trials
Cancer Statistics
Research & Funding
News
About NCI
NCI Drug Dictionary
Page Options
Print This Page
Quick Links
Director's Corner
Updates from the Director

Dictionary of Cancer Terms
Cancer-related terms

NCI Drug Dictionary
Definitions, names, and links

Funding Opportunities
Research and training

NCI Publications
Order/download free booklets

Advisory Boards and Groups
Information, meetings, reports

Science Serving People
Learn more about NCI

Español
Información en español
Quit Smoking Today
NCI Highlights
Report to Nation Finds Declines in Cancer Incidence, Death Rates

High Dose Chemotherapy Prolongs Survival for Leukemia

Prostate Cancer Study Shows No Benefit for Selenium, Vitamin E

The Nation's Investment in Cancer Research FY 2009

Past Highlights
Search for
# A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z All

doxercalciferol
A synthetic analog of vitamin D with potential antineoplastic activity. In the liver, doxercalciferol is converted to its biologically active vitamin D metabolites, which control the intestinal absorption of dietary calcium, the tubular reabsorption of calcium by the kidney and, in conjunction with parathyroid hormone (PTH), the mobilization of calcium from the skeleton. Through interaction with specific receptor proteins in target tissues, these vitamin D metabolites act directly on osteoblasts to stimulate skeletal growth, and on the parathyroid glands to suppress PTH synthesis and secretion. This agent has also been shown to inhibit the growth of retinoblastomas, and may exhibit some antiproliferative activity against prostate cancer cells. Check for active clinical trials or closed clinical trials using this agent. (NCI Thesaurus)

US brand name:Hectorol
Chemical structure names:
  • (1alpha,3beta,5Z,7E,22E)-9,10-Secoergosta-5,7,10(19),22-tetraene-1,3-diol
  • 1-alpha-hydroxyvitamin D2



Previous:donepezil hydrochloride, Dopar, dornase alfa inhalation solution, dovitinib lactate, Dox-SL
Next:doxifluridine, DOXIL, doxorubicin hydrochloride, doxorubicin prodrug INNO-206, doxorubicin-GnRH agonist conjugate AEZS-108

A Service of the National Cancer Institute
Department of Health and Human Services National Institutes of Health USA.gov