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Drugging the addict: non-oncogene addiction as a target for cancer therapy

Remco Nagel1, Ekaterina A Semenova1, Anton Berns2

  • 1Division of Molecular Genetics, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

EMBO Reports
|October 6, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Cancer cells rely on non-oncogene addiction, exploiting normal genes for survival. This review explores these dependencies, including synthetic lethality and stress pathways, to identify new cancer treatment opportunities.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Molecular Therapeutics

Background:

  • Traditional cancer chemotherapeutics target tumor cells with limited normal tissue effects.
  • Small-molecule inhibitors target oncogenic pathways, but resistance often develops.
  • Non-oncogene addiction, where non-mutated genes support cancer survival, is an emerging concept.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review distinct non-oncogenic addictions in cancer cells.
  • To explore underlying stress phenotypes associated with non-oncogene addiction.
  • To identify emerging therapeutic opportunities targeting non-oncogene addiction.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on non-oncogene addiction.
  • Analysis of synthetic lethal interactions in cancer.
  • Examination of cancer cell stress phenotypes.

Main Results:

  • Non-oncogene addiction represents a critical vulnerability in cancer.
  • Synthetic lethal interactions and stress phenotypes are key components of non-oncogene addiction.
  • Understanding these mechanisms reveals novel therapeutic strategies.

Conclusions:

  • Non-oncogene addiction offers promising new avenues for cancer therapy.
  • Targeting non-oncogene addiction may overcome resistance to current treatments.
  • Further research into synthetic lethality and stress pathways is warranted.
Keywords:
cancernon‐oncogene addictionsynthetic lethalitytherapyvulnerability

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