title: Molecular pathways: fibroblast growth factor signaling: a new therapeutic opportunity in cancer.
abstract: The fibroblast growth factor/fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGF/FGFR) signaling axis plays an important role in normal organ, vascular, and skeletal development. Deregulation of FGFR signaling through genetic modification or overexpression of the receptors (or their ligands) has been observed in numerous tumor settings, whereas the FGF/FGFR axis also plays a key role in driving tumor angiogenesis. A growing body of preclinical data shows that inhibition of FGFR signaling can result in antiproliferative and/or proapoptotic effects, both in vitro and in vivo, thus confirming the validity of the FGF/FGFR axis as a potential therapeutic target. In the past, development of therapeutic approaches to target this axis has been hampered by our inability to develop FGFR-selective agents. With the advent of a number of new modalities for selectively inhibiting FGF/FGFR signaling, we are now in a unique position to test and validate clinically the many hypotheses that have been generated preclinically.
authors.affiliation: Oncology Innovative Medicines, AstraZeneca, Alderley Park, Macclesfield, Cheshire, SK10 4TG, UK.
authors.forename: A Nigel
authors.initials: AN
authors.lastname: Brooks
authors.forename: Elaine
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Kilgour
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008954:Models, Biological; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000098:blood supply / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism*; D009389:Neovascularization, Pathologic / Q000378:metabolism / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000517:prevention & control; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000378:metabolism*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D017468:Receptors, Fibroblast Growth Factor; D005346:Fibroblast Growth Factors