Cancer: a novel "no-nonsense" approach to treatment

Nonsense mutations, which lead to premature termination codons, are prevalent in a wide variety of cancers and many studies highlight clear evidence of functions. Based on these observations, a strategy is proposed for using various natural and synthetic derivatives based on aminoglycosides and their conjugates that have the unique property of read-through of nonsense mutations. The results and current status of this group of drugs are presented to show their effectiveness in treating other nonsense-codon-mediated diseases unrelated to cancer such as cystic fibrosis, thalassaemia, and muscular dystrophy. Concluding remarks indicate that this novel approach to cancer treatment with relatively low toxicity and reversibility of drug action as well as potential good patient acceptance and compliance ought to be now trialed for use in treating a wide variety of cancers.