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Review
. 2006 Mar;57(3):191-214.
doi: 10.1016/j.critrevonc.2005.08.007.

Telomeres and telomerase as targets for anticancer drug development

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Review

Telomeres and telomerase as targets for anticancer drug development

Ken André Olaussen et al. Crit Rev Oncol Hematol. 2006 Mar.

Abstract

In most human cancers, the telomere erosion problem has been bypassed through the activation of a telomere maintenance system (usually activation of telomerase). Therefore, telomere and telomerase are attractive targets for anti-cancer therapeutic interventions. Here, we review a large panel of strategies that have been explored to date, from small inhibitors of the catalytic sub-unit of telomerase to anti-telomerase immunotherapy and gene therapy. The many positive results that are reported from anti-telomere/telomerase assays suggest a prudent optimism for a possible clinical application in a close future. However, we discuss some of the main limits for these approaches of antitumour drug development and why significant work remains before a clinically useful drug can be proposed to patients.

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