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Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments

Molecular alterations in cancer genes and associated signaling pathways are used to inform new treatments for precision medicine in cancer. Small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies directed at relevant cancer-related proteins have been instrumental in delivering successful treatments of s...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autores principales: Yip, Hon Yan Kelvin, Papa, Antonella
Formato: Online Artículo Texto
Lenguaje:English
Publicado: MDPI 2021
Materias:
Acceso en línea:https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8002322/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33809714
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells10030659
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author Yip, Hon Yan Kelvin
Papa, Antonella
author_facet Yip, Hon Yan Kelvin
Papa, Antonella
author_sort Yip, Hon Yan Kelvin
collection PubMed
description Molecular alterations in cancer genes and associated signaling pathways are used to inform new treatments for precision medicine in cancer. Small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies directed at relevant cancer-related proteins have been instrumental in delivering successful treatments of some blood malignancies (e.g., imatinib with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)) and solid tumors (e.g., tamoxifen with ER positive breast cancer and trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer). However, inherent limitations such as drug toxicity, as well as acquisition of de novo or acquired mechanisms of resistance, still cause treatment failure. Here we provide an up-to-date review of the successes and limitations of current targeted therapies for cancer treatment and highlight how recent technological advances have provided a new level of understanding of the molecular complexity underpinning resistance to cancer therapies. We also raise three basic questions concerning cancer drug discovery based on molecular markers and alterations of selected signaling pathways, and further discuss how combination therapies may become the preferable approach over monotherapy for cancer treatments. Finally, we consider novel therapeutic developments that may complement drug delivery and significantly improve clinical response and outcomes of cancer patients.
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spelling pubmed-80023222021-03-28 Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments Yip, Hon Yan Kelvin Papa, Antonella Cells Review Molecular alterations in cancer genes and associated signaling pathways are used to inform new treatments for precision medicine in cancer. Small molecule inhibitors and monoclonal antibodies directed at relevant cancer-related proteins have been instrumental in delivering successful treatments of some blood malignancies (e.g., imatinib with chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML)) and solid tumors (e.g., tamoxifen with ER positive breast cancer and trastuzumab for HER2-positive breast cancer). However, inherent limitations such as drug toxicity, as well as acquisition of de novo or acquired mechanisms of resistance, still cause treatment failure. Here we provide an up-to-date review of the successes and limitations of current targeted therapies for cancer treatment and highlight how recent technological advances have provided a new level of understanding of the molecular complexity underpinning resistance to cancer therapies. We also raise three basic questions concerning cancer drug discovery based on molecular markers and alterations of selected signaling pathways, and further discuss how combination therapies may become the preferable approach over monotherapy for cancer treatments. Finally, we consider novel therapeutic developments that may complement drug delivery and significantly improve clinical response and outcomes of cancer patients. MDPI 2021-03-16 /pmc/articles/PMC8002322/ /pubmed/33809714 http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells10030659 Text en © 2021 by the authors. https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/) ).
spellingShingle Review
Yip, Hon Yan Kelvin
Papa, Antonella
Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments
title Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments
title_full Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments
title_fullStr Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments
title_full_unstemmed Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments
title_short Signaling Pathways in Cancer: Therapeutic Targets, Combinatorial Treatments, and New Developments
title_sort signaling pathways in cancer: therapeutic targets, combinatorial treatments, and new developments
topic Review
url https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8002322/
https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/33809714
http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/cells10030659
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