Cell cycle control and cancer: lessons from lung cancer

Recent developments in the study of the cell cycle have shed much light on the origins of human cancer. We summarize these developments with an emphasis on the molecular characterization and the functional role of the cyclin-dependent kinase family of protein kinases (CDK) and their associated regulatory subunits. The Rb tumor suppressor in the progression from the G1 to S phase of the cell cycle and in tumor development is used as a paradigm for illustrating the importance of understanding the molecular regulatory events in the etiology of cancer. Recent developments with cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors, most notably, p16 (CDKN2), indicate that these molecules represent new tumor suppressors in both skin and lung cancers. Insights from these cell cycle studies can provide avenues for the diagnosis, prognosis, and potential gene and chemotherapies for many cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer.