Onkológia 4/2007

DNA repair and its reference to resistance to anticancer therapy

Currently DNA-damaging agents and radiation have a central role besides other cancer treatment modalities. however, development of resistance and toxicity is the main problem of their using. DNA repair is one of the possible mechanisms of the resistance whereby the elevated ability of cancer cells to recognize DNA damage and initiate DNA repair pathways has a negative impact upon therapeutic efficacy. Up to 150 genes have been identified in humans that are associated with DNA repair. Pharmacological inhibition of recently detected targets of DNA repair with several small-molecule compounds, therefore, has the potential to enhance the cytotoxicity of anticancer agents. This review is aimed at DNA repair, its association with the development of therapeutic resistance and pharmacological possibilities to influence this resistance.

Keywords: DNA repair; DNA repair mechanisms; therapeutic resistance; inhibitors of DNA repair.