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The role of mTOR in the management of solid tumors: an overview

Alex S Strimpakos1, Eleni M Karapanagiotou, M Wasif Saif

  • 1Department of Medicine, Royal Marsden Hospital, Downs Road, Surrey SM2 5PT, UK. alexstrimp@yahoo.co.uk

Cancer Treatment Reviews
|November 18, 2008
PubMed

Insights

Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) regulates cell growth and proliferation. Inhibiting mTOR shows promise in treating cancer by disrupting uncontrolled tumor growth and proliferation pathways.

Area of Science:

  • Biochemistry
  • Molecular Biology
  • Oncology

Background:

  • Mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) is a crucial protein kinase regulating cell cycle, proliferation, and growth.
  • Dysregulation of mTOR signaling is implicated in various diseases, particularly cancer, leading to uncontrolled cell proliferation and tumor growth.
  • mTOR's central role in integrating signals from pathways like Ras, PI3K/Akt, TSC, and NF-kappaB makes it a significant target.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the physiological functions of mTOR.
  • To explore the association between mTOR and carcinogenesis.
  • To present the latest evidence on mTOR inhibitors in cancer treatment and future research directions.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of physiological functions of mTOR.
  • Analysis of mTOR's role in cancer development.
  • Review of current research on mTOR inhibitors for cancer therapy.

Main Results:

  • mTOR orchestrates signal transduction pathways essential for normal cellular functions.
  • Aberrant mTOR signaling, due to mutations or pathway overactivation, drives cancer progression.
  • mTOR inhibitors, including rapamycin and its analogs, offer a therapeutic strategy to counteract abnormal signaling in cancer.

Conclusions:

  • mTOR is a key regulator of cell growth and proliferation, with its dysregulation linked to cancer.
  • Targeting mTOR with inhibitors presents a promising therapeutic avenue for various cancers.
  • Further research into mTOR inhibitors will refine cancer treatment strategies and explore future therapeutic trends.

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