Related Experiment Video

Updated: Aug 7, 2026

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods
07:49

Characterize Disease-related Mutants of RAF Family Kinases by Using a Set of Practical and Feasible Methods

Published on: July 17, 2019

Targeting Raf-kinase: molecular rationales and translational issues

M Caraglia1, P Tassone, M Marra

  • 1National Cancer Institute Fondazione G. Pascale, Experimental Oncology Department, Experimental Pharmacology Unit, Naples, Italy.

Annals of Oncology : Official Journal of the European Society for Medical Oncology
|June 9, 2006
PubMed

Insights

Targeting Raf-kinase, a key pathway in tumor cell survival, offers promise for cancer therapy. Inhibitors like sorafenib show potential by blocking proliferation and neo-angiogenesis, warranting further clinical studies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Target-based cancer therapies show promise but face limitations in clinical settings.
  • Compensatory downstream pathways can hinder the efficacy of traditional anti-cancer strategies.
  • Identifying molecular targets is crucial for predicting clinical response.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the structure, function, and relevance of the Raf-kinase family in tumor cell proliferation and survival.
  • To illustrate signal transduction pathways regulated by Raf-kinases.
  • To discuss preclinical and clinical results of the Raf-kinase inhibitor sorafenib (BAY 43-9006).

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of Raf-kinase family components and signaling pathways.
  • Analysis of preclinical and clinical data for sorafenib (BAY 43-9006).
  • Discussion of sorafenib's multi-target function and therapeutic potential.

Main Results:

  • Raf-kinase family members play a significant role in tumor cell proliferation and survival.
  • Sorafenib (BAY 43-9006) has demonstrated preclinical and clinical activity.
  • Sorafenib exhibits multi-target functions, inhibiting both cancer proliferation and neo-angiogenesis.

Conclusions:

  • Raf-kinase represents an attractive therapeutic target for anti-cancer strategies.
  • Sorafenib's dual inhibition of proliferation and neo-angiogenesis offers new therapeutic opportunities.
  • Further preclinical and clinical studies are needed to evaluate sorafenib's efficacy in monotherapy and combination treatments.

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