DMP1 Deletion Cooperates With Oncogenic K-ras In Lung Cancer

Scientists have identified the transcription factor DMP1 as a pivotal tumor suppressor for both human and mouse lung cancers, especially in carcinomas that exhibit intact Arf-p53 pathways. The research, published by Cell Press in the October 2007 issue of Cancer Cell, may lead to development of new drug therapies for lung cancer. Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths in the world, responsible for 1.3 million deaths each year. Non-small-cell lung cancers (NSCLCs) are the most common type of lung cancer, and scientists have identified distinct patterns of genetic alterations that are associated with this malignancy. Mutations that activate the oncogene K-ras or interfere with the tumor suppressors p53 and Arf are common in huma...