Embryonic genes in cancer.
Over the past several years, great strides have been made in our understanding of the mechanisms and functions of many signalling pathways involved in both development and oncogenesis. It is now clear that some proteins/genes essential for cell differentiation can also provide signals for growth control, suggesting that these genes may be mutated in tumours; this knowledge can help further the search for new targets for chemotherapy. However, many questions about how dysregulation of signalling pathways leads to neoplasia are still unanswered. With the dramatic increase in the number of researchers examining those questions, answers will not be far away.
Calvo
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Hospital Universitari Germans Trias i Pujol, Medical Oncology Service, Badalona, Barcelona, Spain.
Drabkin
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HA
D000818:Animals; D018507:Gene Expression Regulation, Developmental / Q000502:physiology*; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D016147:Genes, Tumor Suppressor / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D009857:Oncogenes / Q000502:physiology*