[Molecular therapeutics in patients with cancer unresponsive to conventional treatments]

Recent advances and insights into the molecular pathogenesis of cancer provide unprecedented opportunities for discovery and development of molecularly target-therapeutic (MTT) strategies. Cancer is a complex process due to accumulation of multiple mutations and alterations in the genoma. Tumor cells seem to rely heavily on the continued deregulation of one or more signaling pathways. Complete identification on cell signaling deregulations have provided greater understanding on the biology that underlies most cancers. High-throughput technologies in genomics and proteomics can help to detect the response in vitro and in vivo of targeted MTT effects. Cancer MTT are drugs blocking specific oncogenes or oncogenic signaling pathways and can secondary block off the growth and spreading involved in carcinogenesis and tumor progression. In this paper we revised concepts of oncogene addiction, oncogenic pathways signature and commented the high-tech technologies related to their study. Also we revised the favorable clinical results using new MTT strategies for hard-to-treat cancers in the last year, and the limitations and perspectives to achieve more effective targeted cancer therapy results. Identification of a progressive number of molecularly targeted oncogenes and their corresponding blocking agents will give cancer MTT strategies great potential for development in the next years. Novel biologic endpoints and innovative clinical designs are also required to the successful application of the therapies.