Signaling pathways as therapeutic target in tumor treatment

Abstract

The treatment of tumor metastasis is an extraordinary challenge for clinicians and patients. Although the focus of the therapeutic strategy is mainly limited to that problem, a number of unsuspected adverse events are associated with the current therapies. Accordingly, the efficiency and limitation of tumor therapeutics are govern by a set of tightly regulated pattern of molecular mechanisms, whose activation or inhibition is mediated by either unique or interacting intracellular signal pathways. These signaling pathways are responsible for the modulation of various cellular functions including cell death and survival. The imbalance between pro-and anti-survival pathways determines whether cells die or survive. Thus, the development of an efficient therapeutic approach, based on targeting the aberrant signaling pathways, is thought to be a relevant strategy for cancer treatment. In the present review, we will focus on the functional role of intracellular signaling pathways as target for tumor therapy.