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A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth
06:35

A Mouse Model to Investigate the Role of Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts in Tumor Growth

Published on: December 22, 2020

Fibroblast growth factors and their receptors in cancer

Jørgen Wesche1, Kaisa Haglund, Ellen Margrethe Haugsten

  • 1Centre for Cancer Biomedicine, Faculty of Medicine, University of Oslo, Oslo, Norway. Jorgen.Wesche@rr-research.no

The Biochemical Journal
|June 30, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) are crucial for cell regulation. Aberrant FGFR signaling drives cancer development and progression, prompting exploration of targeted therapies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Biology

Background:

  • Fibroblast growth factors (FGFs) and their receptors (FGFRs) are vital for normal cell functions including proliferation, survival, migration, and differentiation.
  • Deregulation of FGFR signaling is linked to developmental disorders and human cancers, where it can be overactivated through mechanisms like gene amplification, translocations, and mutations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To provide an overview of FGF signaling pathways.
  • To summarize key FGFR alterations observed in human cancers.
  • To discuss the contribution of these alterations to cancer development and explore therapeutic strategies.

Main Methods:

  • Review of existing literature on FGF signaling in development and cancer.
  • Analysis of mechanisms leading to FGFR overactivation in cancer.
  • Examination of the oncogenic roles of FGFs and FGFRs in cancer progression.
  • Overview of current and emerging therapeutic interventions targeting FGFs and FGFRs.

Main Results:

  • FGFR alterations are implicated in various cancers, including breast, bladder, prostate, endometrial, lung, and hematological malignancies.
  • FGFs and FGFRs promote cancer progression by enhancing mitogenic and survival signals, facilitating epithelial-mesenchymal transition, invasion, and tumor angiogenesis.
  • Overactivation of FGFR signaling is a significant driver in multiple human cancers.

Conclusions:

  • FGF signaling pathways are critical in both normal development and cancer.
  • Targeting FGFs and FGFRs represents a promising therapeutic avenue for various human cancers.
  • Understanding FGFR alterations is key to developing effective cancer treatments.

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