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When p53 was first discovered, it received relatively little attention from cancer researchers. The road leading to p53's rise to fame, and the recognition ofTP53as the most frequently altered gene in human cancer, has been long and winding. This Timeline examines the rich history of this pivotal tumour suppressor.
Understanding the activities of p53 in tumour suppression and in other processes has been substantially aided by the use of mouse models. How have these models evolved and what have they taught us about p53 and tumour suppression?
Ever since its discovery, apoptosis has been inextricably linked with cancer. This Timeline article seeks to provide insights into the key discoveries in the field and therapeutic applications based on apoptotic strategies.
Cancer prevention is a global priority, but history indicates that the journey towards achieving this goal is fraught with difficulties. What can we learn from the past that is applicable to the reality of successful cancer prevention?
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) was initially isolated as a factor that induced necrosis of cancer cells. However, it has become clear that TNF can also promote cancer. This Timeline examines the long history of TNF in cancer biology, asking whether it is a target, a therapeutic or both.
MYC is an iconic oncogene that has been at the forefront of cancer research since its discovery. Looking back over the history of MYC research provides us with a framework with which to progress in the next 25 years, as outlined in this Timeline.
During the past century, the response to hypoxia has emerged as an important phenotypic determinant of a tumour, with repercussions for sensitivity to radiation and chemotherapy. This Timeline provides a historical overview of responses to hypoxia while looking forward to therapeutic strategies that are being developed to exploit them.
M. Judah Folkman is regarded by many as the father of research into the therapeutic targeting of angiogenesis. For cancer research, what were his most notable achievements?
One hundred years ago, Paul Ehrlich received the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. His idea of creating 'magic bullets' for use in the fight against human diseases has inspired generations of scientists to devise powerful molecular cancer therapeutics.
The Wnt signalling pathway has a crucial role in the development of all animal species, and mutations or deregulated expression of components of the Wnt pathway can result in cancer. This Timeline examines the past 25 years of crucial discoveries — from a variety of disciplines — about the components and functions of this pathway.
This Timeline article provides a historical perspective on the generation of mouse models of breast cancer induced by ERBB2 (also known as HER2). What have these models taught us and how similar are they to human breast cancer?
The US National Cancer Institute (NCI) 60 human tumour cell line anticancer drug screen (NCI60) was developed nearly 20 years ago, and is a valuable source of information about anticancer drug leads and mechanisms of growth inhibition.
In the 25 years since Doll and Peto published their groundbreaking report on the causes of cancers and strategies for prevention, there have been many additional epidemiological studies of cancer incidence. What do we now know about opportunities for cancer prevention?
