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Pre-clinical Evaluation of Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors for Treatment of Acute Leukemia
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Published on: September 18, 2013

Src-family tyrosine kinases as therapeutic targets in advanced cancer

Irwin H Gelman1

  • 1Department of Cancer Genetics, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, NY 14263, USA. Irwin.Gelman@roswellpark.org

Frontiers in Bioscience (Elite Edition)
|May 31, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Src-family tyrosine kinases (SFK) are crucial in cancer cell functions and are often overactive in tumors. While not always effective against primary tumors, SFK are key targets for treating cancer metastasis and recurrence.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Biochemistry

Background:

  • Src-family tyrosine kinases (SFK) regulate essential cellular processes including proliferation, adhesion, and motility.
  • Elevated SFK activity is a common hallmark in human cancers, driven by genetic alterations or upstream signaling.
  • SFK are implicated in cancer progression, particularly metastasis and bone microenvironment colonization.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of SFK in cancer progression and metastasis.
  • To evaluate SFK as therapeutic targets in the context of malignant phenotypes.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on SFK function in cancer.
  • Analysis of data from animal models of human cancer.
  • Examination of clinical trial data for SFK antagonists.

Main Results:

  • SFK activity is dysregulated in various human cancers.
  • SFK may not be universally effective targets for primary tumors due to pathway redundancy.
  • SFK are critical for specific aspects of malignant progression, including metastasis and recurrence, especially in bone.

Conclusions:

  • SFK are vital mediators of the lethal aspects of cancer, such as metastasis.
  • SFK antagonists represent a promising therapeutic strategy for targeting cancer recurrence and metastasis.

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