Cell death and survival signaling in oncogenesis.

One of the hallmarks of human cancers is the deregulation of signal transduction pathways that regulate fundamental processes such as cell proliferation and cell death. This leads to the disturbance in the physiological control of tissue homeostasis and a concomitant net increase in cell number. Thus, deregulation of intracellular signaling events can contribute to tumorigenesis and tumor progression. In addition, this may also confer treatment resistance, since the response of cancer cells towards most cytotoxic therapies including chemo-, radio- or immunotherapy critically depends on intact signaling cascades that eventually lead to cell death. Hence, a better understanding of the molecular mechanisms that regulate cell death and survival programs in cancer cells is expected to provide the basis for the development of new diagnostic and therapeutic strategies.