Targeting DNA damage response in cancer therapy.

ABSTRACT: Cancer chemotherapy and radiotherapy are designed to kill cancer cells mostly by inducing DNA damage. DNA damage is normally recognized and repaired by the intrinsic DNA damage response machinery. If the damaged lesions are successfully repaired, the cells will survive. In order to specifically and effectively kill cancer cells by therapies that induce DNA damage, it is important to take advantage of specific abnormalities in the DNA damage response machinery that are present in cancer cells but not in normal cells. Such properties of cancer cells can provide biomarkers or targets for sensitization. For example, defects or upregulation of the specific pathways that recognize or repair specific types of DNA damage can serve as biomarkers of favorable or poor response to therapies that induc

SUBMITTER: Hosoya N 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4317796 | biostudies-literature | 2014 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature