Opinion in 2006

The peptidome is the range of low-molecular-weight peptides found in the bloodstream, and seems to differ between patients with and without cancer. How can the peptidome best be studied, and can it be used for cancer diagnostics?

There is evidence that apart from its ability to regulate the transcriptional activity of β-catenin, adenomatus polyposis coli (APC) has β-catenin-independent functions. Is the interaction of APC with cytoskeletal components important for cancer development and progression in the gut?

Clinical trials have shown that tumours have a modest response to EGFR inhibitors when used alone. Will they prove to be more effective when combined with radiotherapy or chemotherapy or both?

Most premenopausal women diagnosed with primary breast cancer receive adjuvant chemotherapy, and many experience chemotherapy-induced ovarian failure (CIOF). Can inherited genetic factors and a better understanding of the biology of CIOF be used to provide optimal counselling for these women?

Multiple mutations and alterations in the cancer genome lead to the deregulation of various cell-signalling pathways that control cell function. Can molecular-profiling studies be used to fully understand this complexity and provide an opportunity to link pathway deregulation with potential therapeutic strategies?

Drugs that target mTOR (mammalian target of rapamycin) have entered clinical trials for cancer treatment. However, current mTOR inhibitors have an unexpectedly complex mechanism of action. Can our emerging knowledge of this pathway be used to develop more effective mTOR-targeted therapies?

Recent findings have indicated that the tyrosine-kinase receptor MET is a sensor of adverse microenvironmental conditions (such as hypoxia), and can drive cell invasion and metastasis through the transcriptional activation of a set of genes that control blood coagulation.

What are the challenges in bringing cancer biomarkers to market? Steven Gutman and Larry Kessler, both of whom work at the US Food and Drugs Administration, share their views and expertise.

Immunotoxins are potent bacterial toxins fused to antibodies that bind tumour-specific antigens, and can dramatically improve the clinical utility of some anti-tumour antibodies. This review describes the construction and efficacy of several recombinant immunotoxins, using results from recent clinical trials.

The Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumours (RECIST) guidelines are crucial to the assessment of new anticancer agents, but are they adequate for evaluating the activity of the newest generation of cancer drugs?

Recent data indicate that growth-factor receptors and associated adaptors can accumulate in the nucleus. Are there novel functions for these proteins that might change our understanding of their role in cancer, and do these findings have implications for drug resistance?

Polo-like kinase 1 is a cell-cycle regulator whose overexpression has prognostic value in cancer. Its unique structural features make it a promising target for drug development.

Stress does not cause cancer per se, but depression and a lack of social support might influence cancer progression and clinical outcome. Can identification of the molecular and biological mechanisms involved be used to improve patient treatment?

Recent evidence implies that germline polymorphisms might significantly influence the metastatic capacity of tumours. This article discusses whether, in the future, inherited, prospective metastatic biomarkers might be in common use for cancer prognosis and the selection of tailored tumour treatment.