1. ¹State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, Shanghai Rui Jin Hospital, Shanghai Jiao Tong University School of Medicine, Shanghai, China
2. ²Pôle de Recherches Franco-Chinois en Science du Vivant et Génomique, Laboratory of Molecular Pathology, Shanghai, China

Correspondence: Professor W-L Zhao, State Key Laboratory of Medical Genomics, Shanghai Institute of Hematology, Shanghai Rui Jin Hospital, 197 Rui Jin Er Road, Shanghai 200025, China. E-mail: weili_zhao_sih@yahoo.com

Received 28 June 2009; Revised 22 August 2009; Accepted 28 August 2009; Published online 29 October 2009.

Abstract

T-cell malignancies, mainly known as T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) and T-cell non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (T-NHL), are aggressive tumors. Although the clinical outcome of the patients has improved dramatically with combination chemotherapy, significant challenges remain, including understanding of the factors that contribute to the malignant behavior of these tumor cells and developing subsequently optimal targeted therapy. Aberrant cell signal transduction is generally involved in tumor progression and drug resistance. This review describes the pathogenetic role of multiple cellular signaling pathways in T-cell malignancies and the potential therapeutic strategies based on the modulation of these key signaling networks.