title: Targeted therapies: the rare cancer paradigm.
abstract: This review analyzes the state of the art of targeted therapies for several tumors, starting from the paradigmatic example of Imatinib treatment in chronic myelogenous leukemia (CML). We discuss how rare tumors can be models for various mechanisms of receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) activation, and provide the opportunity to develop new therapies also for more common cancer types. We discuss the activation of the downstream RTK effectors as further targets for therapies in colorectal cancer. Finally, we highlight how a novel multidimensional approach which adds an in silico dimension to the in vitro and in vivo approach, can predict clinical results.
authors.affiliation: Scientific Directorate, Fondazione IRCCS - Istituto Nazionale dei Tumori Milano, Via Venezian 1, 20133 Milan, Italy. marco.pierotti@istitutotumori.mi.it <marco.pierotti@istitutotumori.mi.it>
authors.forename: Marco A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Pierotti
authors.forename: Tiziana
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Negri
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Tamborini
authors.forename: Federica
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Perrone
authors.forename: Sabrina
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pricl
authors.forename: Silvana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Pilotti
mesh_terms: D024221:Antineoplastic Protocols / Q000592:standards*; D001549:Benzamides; D019496:Cancer Vaccines / Q000592:standards; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems / Q000592:standards; D019008:Drug Resistance, Neoplasm / Q000187:drug effects; D006801:Humans; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D015464:Leukemia, Myelogenous, Chronic, BCR-ABL Positive / Q000188:drug therapy*; D009423:Nervous System Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy; D010879:Piperazines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011743:Pyrimidines / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D012015:Reference Standards; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D001549:Benzamides; D019496:Cancer Vaccines; D010879:Piperazines; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011743:Pyrimidines; D000068877:Imatinib Mesylate; D020794:Receptor Protein-Tyrosine Kinases