Mentor/Fellow Article

Histone Deacetylase Inhibitors

Erica Glass

Pamela Hallquist Viale

lymphoma, new therapies, inhibitors
CJON 2013, 17(1), 34-40. DOI: 10.1188/13.CJON.34-40

Histone deacetylase inhibitors (HDAC-Is) are agents that have demonstrated anticancer activity in vivo and in vitro, leading to clinical trials evaluating their efficacy in multiple cancer types. Only two HDAC-Is are currently approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, vorinostat and romidepsin, both with indications for cutaneous T-cell lymphoma. Romidepsin has an additional approval in peripheral T-cell lymphoma. Promising clinical trial results in other cancer types will likely lead to expanded use of these and other HDAC-Is. To provide care for patients receiving these agents, oncology nurses should be knowledgeable about the emerging role of HDAC-Is. This article reviews the mechanism of action of HDAC-Is, currently approved therapies, and nursing management of cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

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