Cancer-related proteins

Cancer-related proteins represent a broad and heterogeneous category of biological molecules that play critical roles in the initiation, progression, and maintenance of various malignancies [10, 16]. This group includes oncoproteins, which promote cell growth and survival, as well as tumor suppressors, which normally inhibit these processes but are often inactivated in cancer [6, 11]. These proteins function through diverse mechanisms such as signal transduction, regulation of the cell cycle, and evasion of apoptosis [10, 11]. Because this term encompasses thousands of distinct molecular entities—ranging from kinases like EGFR to transcription factors like MYC—it does not refer to a single therapeutic target [6, 12]. Instead, it serves as a collective descriptor for the vast array of proteins targeted by oncology therapeutics to disrupt pathological signaling and induce tumor cell death [7, 9]. The study of these proteins is central to identifying biomarkers for diagnosis, prognosis, and the development of personalized treatment strategies [3, 5].

Other names

OncoproteinsTumor-associated proteinsCancer-associated proteinsOncogenic proteins

Various mechanisms depending on the specific protein, including kinase inhibition, monoclonal antibody-mediated receptor blockade, and immune checkpoint inhibition [7, 16].