The tumor trinity

Future Oncol. 2015;11(5):785-800. doi: 10.2217/fon.14.315.

A periodic table for cancer.

Epstein RJ1.

Author information

1

*Clinical Informatics & Research Centre, The Kinghorn Cancer Centre, 370 Victoria St, Darlinghurst 2010, Sydney, Australia.

Abstract

Cancers exhibit differences in metastatic behavior and drug sensitivity that correlate with certain tumor-specific variables such as differentiation grade, growth rate/extent and molecular regulatory aberrations. In practice, patient management is based on the past results of clinical trials adjusted for these biomarkers. Here, it is proposed that treatment strategies could be fine-tuned upfront simply by quantifying tumorigenic spatial (cell growth) and temporal (genetic stability) control losses, as predicted by genetic defects of cell-cycle-regulatory gatekeeper and genome-stabilizing caretaker tumor suppressor genes, respectively. These differential quantifications of tumor dysfunction may in turn be used to create a tumor-specific 'periodic table' that guides rational formulation of survival-enhancing anticancer treatment strategies.