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Targeting survivin in cancer
1Prostate Cancer Discovery and Development Program, The Wistar Institute Cancer Center, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA. daltieri@wistar.org
Cancer Letters
|March 14, 2012
Summary
Survivin, a protein found in human tumors, has multiple functions. Despite progress and clinical trials, few survivin antagonists are available, necessitating new drug development approaches.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Molecular Biology
- Drug Discovery
Background:
- Survivin is a protein with numerous functions implicated in various human tumors.
- Extensive research has elucidated survivin's roles in cellular networks and its presence in cancer.
- Over 4000 citations in Medline highlight significant global research interest in survivin.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review the progress in understanding survivin biology and its therapeutic implications.
- To highlight the transition of survivin research from basic science to clinical applications.
- To identify the challenges and opportunities in developing survivin-based cancer therapeutics.
Main Methods:
- Literature review of survivin research and clinical trial data.
- Analysis of survivin's known functions and cellular network integration.
- Evaluation of the current landscape of survivin antagonists in cancer therapy.
Main Results:
- Significant advancements have been made in understanding survivin's diverse biological functions.
- Survivin's role has been mapped in numerous human tumor types.
- Several survivin-based therapeutics have entered clinical trials, demonstrating therapeutic potential.
Conclusions:
- A deeper understanding of survivin biology has successfully translated into clinical investigations.
- The limited number of approved survivin antagonists underscores a need for innovative drug development strategies.
- Fully realizing survivin's potential as an oncology target requires a more flexible approach to therapeutic development.
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