title: The role of mitogen-activated ERK-kinase inhibitors in lung cancer therapy.
abstract: The Ras-Raf-MAPK pathway has been implicated in lung carcinogenesis and, potentially, the maintenance of the malignant phenotype in these tumors. Mutations in ras and B-raf genes have been described in lung cancer, representing one of the few examples of tandem mutations in a signaling cascade. As a result, numerous approaches to inhibiting this pathway in lung cancer have been explored in the past decade. The most promising approach to date appears to be the inhibition of mitogen-activated ERK kinase or MEK. In this review, the potential utility of MEK inhibitors in the therapy of lung cancer is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Medical Oncology, Mayo Clinic and Foundation, Rochester, MN 55905, USA. adjei.alex@mayo.edu
authors.forename: Alex A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Adjei
mesh_terms: D001549:Benzamides / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D004159:Diphenylamine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D011905:Genes, ras; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D020935:MAP Kinase Signaling System / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology; D009154:Mutation; D015398:Signal Transduction; D048490:raf Kinases / Q000235:genetics; D018631:ras Proteins / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D004791:Enzyme Inhibitors; C506614:mirdametinib; D004159:Diphenylamine; D048490:raf Kinases; D048049:Extracellular Signal-Regulated MAP Kinases; D018631:ras Proteins