Apoptosis in the development and treatment of cancer.
Our somatic cells are born by mitosis and almost all will die by apoptosis, a physiological process of cellular suicide. Cancers can occur when this balance is disturbed, either by an increase in cell proliferation or a decrease in cell death. The goal of cancer therapy is to promote the death of cancer cells without causing too much damage to normal cells. Our knowledge of the mechanisms of apoptosis has enhanced our understanding of how some cancers originate and progress. It has also revealed that existing cancer therapies can work in two ways, by induction of apoptosis as well as by direct toxicity. In some cases resistance to apoptosis may explain why cancer therapies fail. Novel treatments designed to exploit our knowledge of apoptotic mechanisms are under development to promote apoptosis of cancer cells and limit concurrent death of normal cells.
Gerl
Robert
R
The Walter and Eliza Hall Institute, 1G Royal Parade, Parkville, Victoria 3050, Australia.
Vaux
David L
DL
D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017209:Apoptosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*; D049109:Cell Proliferation / Q000187:drug effects; D016158:Genes, p53 / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D051379:Mice; D008938:Mitosis / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000503:physiopathology*; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2 / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D019253:Proto-Oncogene Proteins c-bcl-2