ceramide

Ceramide is a bioactive sphingolipid that serves as a central component of the cell membrane and acts as a potent intracellular signaling molecule. In oncology, ceramide is recognized as a pro-apoptotic mediator; it accumulates in response to various stress stimuli (such as chemotherapy or radiation) to trigger programmed cell death. This specific topical formulation was developed to treat cutaneous breast cancer by delivering ceramide lipids directly to skin-involved tumor sites to induce apoptosis in malignant cells. The mechanism of action involves the activation of protein phosphatase 2A (PP2A) and cathepsin D, which subsequently leads to the inhibition of the Akt survival pathway and the activation of the caspase cascade. The clinical development of this topical ceramide cream was led by the Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology (formerly CALGB) under the study identifier CALGB 9872.

Other names

topical ceramide lipidsceramide creamCALGB 9872CALGB9872CALGB-9872