title: Targeting DNA repair pathways for cancer treatment: what's new?
abstract: Disruptions in DNA repair pathways predispose cells to accumulating DNA damage. A growing body of evidence indicates that tumors accumulate progressively more mutations in DNA repair proteins as cancers progress. DNA repair mechanisms greatly affect the response to cytotoxic treatments, so understanding those mechanisms and finding ways to turn dysregulated repair processes against themselves to induce tumor death is the goal of all DNA repair inhibition efforts. Inhibition may be direct or indirect. This burgeoning field of research is replete with promise and challenge, as more intricacies of each repair pathway are discovered. In an era of increasing concern about healthcare costs, use of DNA repair inhibitors can prove to be highly effective stewardship of R&D resources and patient expenses.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Herman B Wells Center for Pediatric Research, Indiana University School of Medicine, Indianapolis, IN, USA.
authors.forename: Mark R
authors.initials: MR
authors.lastname: Kelley
authors.forename: Derek
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Logsdon
authors.forename: Melissa L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Fishel
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004260:DNA Repair / Q000187:drug effects*; D006801:Humans; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics*; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents
keywords: DNA repair inhibition; DNA repair pathways; DNA repair targets; clinical trials; small-molecule inhibitors