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Review
. 2021 Mar 10;13(6):1204.
doi: 10.3390/cancers13061204.

Targeting KRAS in Cancer: Promising Therapeutic Strategies

Lisa Maria Mustachio  1   2 , Anca Chelariu-Raicu  3 , Lorant Szekvolgyi  4 , Jason Roszik  5   6
Affiliations
Review

Targeting KRAS in Cancer: Promising Therapeutic Strategies

Lisa Maria Mustachio et al. Cancers (Basel). .

Abstract

The Kirsten rat sarcoma viral oncogene homolog (KRAS) is mutated in approximately 25% of all human cancers and is known to be a major player promoting and maintaining tumorigenesis through the RAS/MAPK pathway. Over the years, a large number of studies have identified strategies at different regulatory levels to tackle this 'difficult-to-target' oncoprotein. Yet, the most ideal strategy to overcome KRAS and its downstream effects has yet to be uncovered. This review summarizes the role of KRAS activating mutations in multiple cancer types as well as the key findings for potential strategies inhibiting its oncogenic behavior. A comprehensive analysis of the different pathways and mechanisms associated with KRAS activity in tumors will ultimately pave the way for promising future work that will identify optimum therapeutic strategies.

Keywords: EGFR; KRAS; MAPK; cancer; mutations; targeted-therapy.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
The role of KRAS and current agents in clinical or preclinical development.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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