title: Clinical applications of the urokinase receptor (uPAR) for cancer patients.
abstract: Since decades the urokinase plasminogen activator (uPA) system has been associated with the invasion of malignant cells. The receptor of urokinase (uPAR) is one of the key players in this proteolytic cascade, because it focuses uPA's proteolytic activity to the cell surface and in addition functions as a signaling receptor. uPAR is highly expressed in virtually all human cancers, suggesting possible clinical applications as diagnostic marker, predictive tool of survival or clinical response, and as a target for therapy and imaging. This review summarizes the possibilities of uPAR in clinical applications for cancer patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, Leiden University Medical Center, Leiden, The Netherlands.
authors.forename: Martin C
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Boonstra
authors.forename: Hein W
authors.initials: HW
authors.lastname: Verspaget
authors.forename: Sjam
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Ganesh
authors.forename: Frank J G M
authors.initials: FJ
authors.lastname: Kubben
authors.forename: Alexander L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Vahrmeijer
authors.forename: Cornelis J H
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: van de Velde
authors.forename: Peter J K
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Kuppen
authors.forename: Paul H A
authors.initials: PH
authors.lastname: Quax
authors.forename: Cornelis F M
authors.initials: CF
authors.lastname: Sier
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D003952:Diagnostic Imaging; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy*; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator / Q000378:metabolism*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; D055293:Receptors, Urokinase Plasminogen Activator