CYTOKINES OF THE EGF SUPERFAMILY AND ONCOGENESIS

The current knowledge on the involvement of EGF and related cytokines (transforming growth factor alpha, Cripto, amphiregulin, heparin-bindi ng EGF, betacellulin, shwannoma-derived growth factor, epiregulin and neuregulins) in tumor cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, invasi on, and metastatic spread is analyzed in this review. The potential an d problems of clinical implications of EGF-related cytokines and their receptors in cancer treatment are discussed below.