title: TGF-beta signaling in cancer--a double-edged sword.
abstract: Transforming growth factor (TGF) beta1 is a potent growth inhibitor, with tumor-suppressing activity. Cancers are often refractile to this growth inhibition either because of genetic loss of TGF-beta signaling components or, more commonly, because of downstream perturbation of the signaling pathway, such as by Ras activation. Carcinomas often secrete excess TGF-beta1 and respond to it by enhanced invasion and metastasis. Therapeutic approaches should aim to inhibit the TGF-beta-induced invasive phenotype, but also to retain its growth-inhibitory and apoptosis-inducing effects.
authors.affiliation: Mt Zion Cancer Research Institute, University of California at San Francisco, San Francisco, CA 94143-0875, USA. rakhurst@cc.ucsf.edu
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Akhurst
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Derynck
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D018450:Disease Progression; D006801:Humans; D009361:Neoplasm Invasiveness; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology* / Q000628:therapy; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*; D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000494:pharmacology
chemical_list: D016212:Transforming Growth Factor beta