Kinases regulate almost every aspect of tumour growth and progression, and inhibitors of their signalling pathways, such as imatinib, gefitinib and bevacizumab, are among the most successful targeted therapeutics. This 'Focus on Kinases in Cancer' issue covers a range of kinase-mediated signalling pathways and the anticancer reagents designed to block them.
The mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) cascade is one of the best-studied signalling pathways in cancer. Judith Sebolt-Leopold and Roman Herrera (page 937) describe the properties and mechanisms of MAPK inhibitors, and how the latest generation of these drugs might overcome the safety and pharmacokinetic barriers that earlier inhibitors faced. James Roberts and colleagues (page 948) explain how cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors regulate not only cell proliferation, but also cytoskeletal organization and cell migration, leading to tumour invasion. And in a new approach to therapy, Nicholas Keen and Stephen Taylor (page 927) describe the tumorigenic activities of the Aurora kinases, which regulate mitosis, and the small-molecule inhibitors that block their function.
