Telomere maintenance mechanisms in cancer: clinical implications

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Updated: Apr 27, 2026

Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence
12:08

Telomere Length and Telomerase Activity; A Yin and Yang of Cell Senescence

Published on: May 22, 2013

46.1K

Roger R Reddel1

  • 1Children's Medical Research Institute, 214 Hawkesbury Road, Westmead, New South Wales 2145, Australia. rreddel@cmri.org.au.

Current Pharmaceutical Design
|July 1, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Cancer cells possess an active telomere maintenance mechanism (TMM), unlike normal cells. Targeting TMMs offers a promising, broad-spectrum approach for novel cancer therapeutics, despite current research challenges.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Cancer cells exhibit immortality due to upregulated telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs).
  • Normal somatic cells have limited proliferative potential due to telomere shortening.
  • Telomere maintenance is a nearly universal hallmark of cancer.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the opportunities and challenges of targeting telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) for cancer therapy.
  • To explore the potential of TMMs as a broad-spectrum therapeutic target for various cancers.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of telomere biology in normal and malignant cells.
  • Analysis of telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) as therapeutic targets.
  • Discussion of the clinical implications of telomere research in oncology.

Main Results:

  • Telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) are upregulated in most cancers, conferring immortality.
  • Targeting TMMs presents a strategy for developing broad-spectrum anticancer drugs.
  • Significant knowledge gaps remain in understanding telomere biology for optimal therapeutic design.

Conclusions:

  • Telomere maintenance mechanisms (TMMs) represent a critical vulnerability in cancer cells.
  • Targeting TMMs holds significant promise for novel cancer treatments.
  • Further research is needed to overcome challenges in designing effective TMM-targeted therapies.

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