Abstract
Biological processes that drive cell growth are exciting targets for cancer therapy. The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling network plays a ubiquitous role in normal cell growth, survival, differentiation, and angiogenesis, but has also been implicated in tumor development. Elucidation of the roles and relationships within the diverse FGF family and of their links to tumor growth and progression will be critical in designing new drug therapies to target FGF receptor (FGFR) pathways. Recent studies have shown that FGF can act synergistically with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to amplify tumor angiogenesis, highlighting that targeting of both the FGF and VEGF pathways may be more efficient in suppressing tumor growth and angiogenesis than targeting either factor alone. In addition, through inducing tumor cell survival, FGF has the potential to overcome chemotherapy resistance highlighting that chemotherapy may be more effective when used in combination with FGF inhibitor therapy. Furthermore, FGFRs have variable activity in promoting angiogenesis, with the FGFR-1 subgroup being associated with tumor progression and the FGFR-2 subgroup being associated with either early tumor development or decreased tumor progression. This review highlights the growing knowledge of FGFs in tumor cell growth and survival, including an overview of FGF intracellular signaling pathways, the role of FGFs in angiogenesis, patterns of FGF and FGFR expression in various tumor types, and the role of FGFs in tumor progression.
Keywords: Fibroblast growth factors, gene expression regulation, neoplasms, angiogenesis/neovascularization, molecular targets
Current Cancer Drug Targets
Title: The Role of Fibroblast Growth Factors in Tumor Growth
Volume: 9 Issue: 5
Author(s): M. Korc and R. E. Friesel
Affiliation:
Keywords: Fibroblast growth factors, gene expression regulation, neoplasms, angiogenesis/neovascularization, molecular targets
Abstract: Biological processes that drive cell growth are exciting targets for cancer therapy. The fibroblast growth factor (FGF) signaling network plays a ubiquitous role in normal cell growth, survival, differentiation, and angiogenesis, but has also been implicated in tumor development. Elucidation of the roles and relationships within the diverse FGF family and of their links to tumor growth and progression will be critical in designing new drug therapies to target FGF receptor (FGFR) pathways. Recent studies have shown that FGF can act synergistically with vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) to amplify tumor angiogenesis, highlighting that targeting of both the FGF and VEGF pathways may be more efficient in suppressing tumor growth and angiogenesis than targeting either factor alone. In addition, through inducing tumor cell survival, FGF has the potential to overcome chemotherapy resistance highlighting that chemotherapy may be more effective when used in combination with FGF inhibitor therapy. Furthermore, FGFRs have variable activity in promoting angiogenesis, with the FGFR-1 subgroup being associated with tumor progression and the FGFR-2 subgroup being associated with either early tumor development or decreased tumor progression. This review highlights the growing knowledge of FGFs in tumor cell growth and survival, including an overview of FGF intracellular signaling pathways, the role of FGFs in angiogenesis, patterns of FGF and FGFR expression in various tumor types, and the role of FGFs in tumor progression.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Korc M. and Friesel E. R., The Role of Fibroblast Growth Factors in Tumor Growth, Current Cancer Drug Targets 2009; 9 (5) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156800909789057006
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/156800909789057006 |
Print ISSN 1568-0096 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5576 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
Advances in Cancer Biomarkers and Potential Drug Targets: From Diagnosis to Therapy
Cancer biomarkers play a crucial role in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of cancer. They provide valuable information for cancer detection, risk assessment, treatment selection, and monitoring response to therapy. With advancements in molecular biology and high-throughput technologies, there has been an increasing interest in identifying and characterizing cancer biomarkers ...read more
Novel Therapeutic Approaches to Target Drug Resistant Tumors
With the development of disciplines such as chemical biology and molecular biology, the genes or proteins closely related to tumor occurrence and development have gradually become clear. Targeted therapies targeting these genes or proteins provide more effective methods for tumor treatment. Tumor targeted drugs generally only act on specific targets ...read more
ROLE OF IMMUNE AND GENOTOXIC RESPONSE BIOMARKERS IN TUMOR MICROENVIRONMENT IN CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TREATMENT
Biological biomarkers have been used in medical research as an indicator of a normal or abnormal process inside the body, or of a disease. Nowadays, various researchers are in process to explore and investigate the biological markers for the early assessment of cancer. DNA Damage response (DDR) pathways and immune ...read more
Targeting the battlefield between host and tumor: basic research and clinical practice on reshaping tumor immune microenvironment
Immune system protects host against malignant tumors through effector cells and molecules. Cancer development and its response to therapy are regulated by inflammation, which either promotes or suppresses cancer progression. Chronic inflammation facilitates cancer progression and treatment resistance, whereas induction of acute inflammatory reactions often lead to anti-cancer immune responses. ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
α-Fibrinogenases
Current Drug Targets - Cardiovascular & Hematological Disorders Editorial from Editor-in-Chief (Thrombolytic and Catheter-Directed Therapy for Pulmonary Embolism: The Paradox of Clinical Outcomes and Theory)
Current Respiratory Medicine Reviews New Concepts for Glaucoma Implants - Controlled Aqueous Humor Drainage, Encapsulation Prevention and Local Drug Delivery
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Monoclonal Antibodies: A New Era in the Treatment of Non-Hodgkins Lymphoma
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Propofol: Therapeutic Indications and Side-Effects
Current Pharmaceutical Design Multidrug Transporters as Drug Targets
Current Drug Targets Pharmacokinetics of Drugs in Neonates: Pattern Recognition Beyond Compound Specific Observations
Current Pharmaceutical Design Plant-based Natural Products for Wound Healing: A Critical Review
Current Drug Research Reviews Allergen-Induced Inflammation
Anti-Inflammatory & Anti-Allergy Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Parkinson’s Disease: Recent Updates in the Identification of Human Dopa Decarboxylase Inhibitors
Current Drug Metabolism Advances in the Development of Bradykinin Receptor Ligands
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry The Use of TNF Family Ligands and Receptors and Agents which Modify their Interaction as Therapeutic Agents
Current Drug Targets Enhanced Anticancer Activity and Apoptosis Effect of Bioactive Compound Quercetin Extracted from <i>Ocimum sanctum</i> Leaves
Current Nanomedicine The Clinical Problems of Hypertension Treatment in Hemodialysis Patients
Current Vascular Pharmacology Therapeutic Effects of Renal Denervation on Renal Failure
Current Neurovascular Research Circadian Rhythm of Blood Pressure in Diabetes Mellitus: Evidence, Mechanisms and Implications
Current Diabetes Reviews Baicalein-Phospholipid Complex: A Novel Drug Delivery Technology for Phytotherapeutics
Current Drug Discovery Technologies Monoamine Oxidases: to Inhibit or Not to Inhibit
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Does Pharmacological Therapy Still Play a Role in Preventing Sudden Death in Surgically Treated Tetralogy of Fallot?
Mini-Reviews in Medicinal Chemistry Nutrition and Physical Activity on Hypertension: Implication of Current Evidence and Guidelines
Current Hypertension Reviews