This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Google Scholar Articles by Friday, B. B. Articles by Adjei, A. A. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Friday, B. B. Articles by Adjei, A. A.

Advances in Targeting the Ras/Raf/MEK/Erk Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinase Cascade with MEK Inhibitors for Cancer Therapy

Authors' Affiliations: ¹ Department of Oncology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota and ² Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Buffalo, New York

Requests for reprints: Alex A. Adjei, Department of Medicine, Roswell Park Cancer Institute, Elm and Carlton Streets, Buffalo, NY 14263. Phone: 716-845-4101; Fax: 716-845-3423; E-mail: Alex.Adjei{at}RoswellPark.org.

Abstract

The identification of intracellular signaling cascades important for the growth and survival of cancer cells has led to the development of targeted cancer therapeutics aimed at blocking these signals. The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway has a well-defined role in cancer biology and has been an important target in the development of targeted therapies. Recently, several small-molecule inhibitors of MAPK/extracellular signal–regulated kinase kinase (MEK), a key intermediary of MAPK signaling, have been developed and are currently being tested in clinical trials. Herein, we review the MAPK pathway, the development of small-molecule MEK inhibitors, and the results obtained to date with MEK inhibitors in human cancer trials.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				S. Turcotte and A. J. Giaccia Targeted Therapy for the Loss of the Tumor Suppressor Gene von Hippel-Lindau through Synthetic Lethality ASCO Educational Book, January 1, 2008; 2008(1): e15 - e18. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]