DNA damage checkpoint signaling pathways in human cancer

Abstract

The ability to recognize and respond to DNA damage is essential in maintaining the integrity of the genome. In recent years, as the details of these processes have been elucidated, it has become increasingly clear that proteins that play a central role in these processes, such as p53 and ATM, are commonly mutated or otherwise inactivated in cancer pathogenesis. Understanding these processes has revealed important insights into key steps of tumorigenesis, and may provide important opportunities for developing targeted rational therapies for cancer.