SIGNALING PATHWAYS AS TARGETS FOR ANTICANCER DRUG DEVELOPMENT

Intracellular signalling pathways mediating the effects of oncogenes o n cell growth and transformation offer novel targets for the developme nt of anticancer drugs. With this approach, it may be sufficient to ta rget a component of the signalling pathway activated by the oncogene r ather than the oncogene product itself In this review, the abilities o f some antiproliferative drugs to inhibit signalling targets are consi dered. There are some anticancer drugs already in clinical trial that may act by inhibiting signalling targets, as well as drugs in preclini cal development. Some problems that may be encountered in developing t his new class of anticancer drugs are discussed.