Cell Cycle Checkpoint in Cancer: a Therapeutically Targetable Double-edged Sword

Overview

Journal J Exp Clin Cancer Res

Publisher Biomed Central

Specialty Oncology

Date 2016 Sep 28

PMID 27670139

Citations 149

Authors

Roberta Visconti

Rosa Della Monica

Domenico Grieco

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

Major currently used anticancer therapeutics either directly damage DNA or target and upset basic cell division mechanisms like DNA replication and chromosome segregation. These insults elicit activation of cell cycle checkpoints, safeguard mechanisms that cells implement to correctly complete cell cycle phases, repair damage or eventually commit suicide in case damage is unrepairable. Although cancer cells appear to be advantageously defective in some aspects of checkpoint physiology, recent acquisitions on the biochemical mechanisms of the various checkpoints are offering new therapeutic approaches against cancer. Indeed, chemical manipulation of these mechanisms is providing new therapeutic strategies and tools to increase the killing efficacy of major cancer therapeutics as well as to directly promote cancer cell death. In this review we summarize developing concepts on how targeting cell cycle checkpoints may provide substantial improvement to cancer therapy.

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