One hundred years of tumor suppressor research: crucial achievements and unique perspectives.

Tumor suppressors constitute the body's primary defense line against malignant transformation. Since Theodor Boveri's initial insight one century ago, a huge amount of knowledge on these molecules has been generated. However, the final step of application of this profound understanding in the clinical setting, i.e., the treatment of cancer patients with tumor suppressors and their derivatives, is still ahead. Nevertheless, the important success achieved with similar biomimetic approaches in the therapy of other diseases suggests that tumor suppressor-based antineoplastic interventions should be accomplished soon as they may be equally rewarding.