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Metastasis accounts for the vast majority of cancer deaths. The potential of using nanoparticles to diagnose and to treat metastatic cancer is highlighted in this Review.
The regulation of cell polarity has pleiotropic effects on cell morphology and function, which has implications for tumorigenesis and tumour progression. This Review discusses how polarity complexes affect tumour cell biology and their crosstalk with other important cancer pathways.
The α-subunits that form the oxygen-sensitive component of the hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF) transcription factor have unique and overlapping roles in mediating cellular responses to hypoxia. Surprisingly, they can also have opposing roles, and the differences between HIF1α and HIF2α are discussed in this Review.
Many different microRNAs (miRNAs) have now been linked to cancer, but our understanding of the pathways that are regulated by these miRNAsin vivois still limited. This Review discusses progress in using mouse models to understand the roles of miRNAs in cancer and the therapeutic potential of these molecules.
Choline metabolism is commonly deregulated in cancer, leading to increased levels of choline metabolites. This Review discusses the deregulation of choline metabolism in cancer, its reciprocal interaction with oncogenic signalling and the possible clinical applications in diagnostics and therapy.
Although gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GISTs) are genetically heterogeneous, the identification of receptor tyrosine kinase mutations has led to improved treatments using targeted therapy. This Review discusses how the underlying genetics influences GIST disease progression and therapeutic responses, new insights into the cellular origins of GISTs and strategies for overcoming therapeutic resistance.
It was hoped that targeting protein prenylation would inhibit the oncogenic signalling of RAS family members. However, preclinical and clinical trials of prenyltransferase inhibitors have conflicting results. This Review discusses why these differences might occur and the future of targeting prenylation.
The RAS oncogenes have far-reaching effects when they are oncogenically mutated. This Review discusses our current knowledge about the cell-autonomous and non-cell-autonomous effects of oncogenic RAS and how different RAS isoforms and substitutions seem to have different effects.
Several members of the tripartite motif (TRIM) proteins (one of the subfamilies of the RING type E3 ubiquitin ligases) seem to function as important regulators for carcinogenesis. This Review focuses on TRIM proteins that are involved in tumour development and progression.
Perineural invasion (PNI) is a prominent characteristic of pancreatic cancer that is involved in the generation of pain, and correlates with poor prognosis in most studies. This Review discusses the signalling molecules and pathways that are involved in PNI and whether knowledge of these could be used to alleviate pain and to reduce the incidence of PNI.
RING finger proteins constitute the largest class of ubiquitin protein ligases (E3s). These function to specifically ubiquitylate target proteins. As discussed in this Review, many RING finger proteins are deregulated in cancer.
Cancer is a complex disease, as has been amply shown by the mass of recently generated 'omics' data. Can the new US National Cancer Institute Physical Sciences-Oncology Centers initiative help us to better understand the complexity of this disease?
RNA-binding proteins include essential regulators of microRNA (miRNA) biogenesis, turnover and activity. RNA–RNA and protein–RNA interactions are essential for post-transcriptional regulation in normal development and could be deregulated in disease. This Review highlights the implications of these complex layers of regulation in cancer initiation and progression.
Chemotaxis confers directionality to migrating tumour cells away from the tumour and recruits various cells to the tumour. This Review discusses the mechanisms of chemotaxis and how this process contributes to tumour progression.
The ubiquitous second messenger Ca2+is a crucial regulator of cell migration. This Review discusses recent data on ORAI1, STIM1 and TRP, which have been implicated in tumour cell migration and the metastatic cell phenotype.
Perturbation of oestrogen receptor (ER) subtype-specific expression has been detected in various types of cancer, and these differences correlate with the clinical outcome. The selective restoration or ablation of their activity is one of the major therapeutic approaches for hormone-dependent cancers.
Sarcomas are increasingly classified according to the genetic abnormalities associated with their pathogenesis. What are the mechanisms of sarcomagenesis and how might these genetic abnormalities lead to improved therapy for patients?
Is the ability of D-type cyclins to activate cyclin-dependent kinases an effective means of targeting these oncogenes, and how might the patient subgroups that are most likely to benefit be identified?
The nucleosome remodelling and histone deacetylase (NuRD) complex has been implicated in the regulation of transcriptional events that are integral to oncogenesis and cancer progression. This Review discusses how inappropriate localization of the complex could contribute to tumour biology.
Interstrand crosslinks (ICLs) are a type of DNA damage that is induced by various chemotherapeutics, such as cisplatin. This Review discusses how these lesions are repaired through multiple pathways, including the Fanconi anaemia pathway, and how ICL repair mediates sensitivity to these drugs.
