A compound of formula I, or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, for use in the treatment of cancer, wherein: L represents CH 2 SCH 2, CH 2 CH 2, CH 2 CH 2 CH 2, CH 2, CH 2 S, SCH 2, CH 2 NHCH 2, CH=CH, or wherein any hydrogen atom of a CH or CH 2 unit may be replaced by alkyl or alkoxy, any hydrogen of an NH unit may be replaced by alkyl, and any hydrogen atom of a CH 2 unit of CH 2 CH 2, CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 or CH 2 may be replaced by hydroxy; X, independently for each occurrence, represents S, O or CH=CH, wherein any hydrogen atom of a CH unit may be replaced by alkyl; Y, independently for each occurrence, represents H or CH 2 O R 7; R 7, independently for each occurrence, represents H or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, heterocyclylalkyl, or heterocyclylalkoxy; Z represents H or R 3; R 1 and R 2 each independently represent H, alkyl, alkoxy or hydroxy; R 3, independently for each occurrence, represents substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroaryloxyalkyl or C(R 8)(R 9)(R 10), N(R 4)(R 5) or OR 6, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; R 4 and R 5 each independently represent H or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, acyl, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, or heteroaryloxyalkyl, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; R 6, independently for each occurrence, represents substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, or heteroaryloxyalkyl, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; R 8, R 9 and R 10 each independently represent H or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, amino, acylamino, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylamino, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, or heteroaryloxyalkyl, or R 8 and R 9 together with the carbon to which they are attached, form a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; and wherein the compound is to be administered orally with a meal. L represents CH 2 SCH 2, CH 2 CH 2, CH 2 CH 2 CH 2, CH 2, CH 2 S, SCH 2, CH 2 NHCH 2, CH=CH, or wherein any hydrogen atom of a CH or CH 2 unit may be replaced by alkyl or alkoxy, any hydrogen of an NH unit may be replaced by alkyl, and any hydrogen atom of a CH 2 unit of CH 2 CH 2, CH 2 CH 2 CH 2 or CH 2 may be replaced by hydroxy; X, independently for each occurrence, represents S, O or CH=CH, wherein any hydrogen atom of a CH unit may be replaced by alkyl; Y, independently for each occurrence, represents H or CH 2 O R 7; R 7, independently for each occurrence, represents H or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, alkoxy, aminoalkyl, alkylaminoalkyl, heterocyclylalkyl, or heterocyclylalkoxy; Z represents H or R 3; R 1 and R 2 each independently represent H, alkyl, alkoxy or hydroxy; R 3, independently for each occurrence, represents substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, heteroaryloxyalkyl or C(R 8)(R 9)(R 10), N(R 4)(R 5) or OR 6, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; R 4 and R 5 each independently represent H or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, acyl, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, or heteroaryloxyalkyl, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; R 6, independently for each occurrence, represents substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxyalkyl, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkenyl, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, or heteroaryloxyalkyl, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; R 8, R 9 and R 10 each independently represent H or substituted or unsubstituted alkyl, hydroxy, hydroxyalkyl, amino, acylamino, aminoalkyl, acylaminoalkyl, alkoxycarbonyl, alkoxycarbonylamino, alkenyl, alkoxy, alkoxyalkyl, aryl, arylalkyl, aryloxy, aryloxyalkyl, cycloalkyl, cycloalkylalkyl, heterocyclyl, heterocyclylalkyl, heteroaryl, heteroarylalkyl, heteroaryloxy, or heteroaryloxyalkyl, or R 8 and R 9 together with the carbon to which they are attached, form a carbocyclic or heterocyclic ring system, wherein any free hydroxyl group may be acylated to form C R 7; and wherein the compound is to be administered orally with a meal.