Chemotherapy

chemotherapy or radiation plus more recently introduced targeted therapies. Targeted therapies aim to specifically address malignantly transformed cells while sparing healthy tissues. Thus, receptors, which are important during embryonic development and readopted by cancer cells, belong to the most promising targets. One of the most prominent molecules of that kind is the human epidermal growth factor receptor-2 (HER-2). HER-2 is a receptor tyrosine kinase, mediating signals for cell proliferation, cell mobility and survival. In the absence of a known ligand activation is achieved by homo- or heterodimerization. HER-2 is very important during embryonic development, e.g. it plays a role in ductal morphogenesis of the mammary gland, but it is almost not expressed on adult tissue, except the heart. On the contrary, HER-2 is overexpressed in breast, ovarian, gastric, colorectal, pancreatic, and endometrial cancers. IgE-based Immunotherapy of Cancer -A Comparative Oncology Approach (Erika Jensen-Jarolim)

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Last date updated on September, 2024