ReviewMolecular cancer research : MCR2021
The MEK/ERK Network as a Therapeutic Target in Human Cancer.
Review in Molecular cancer research : MCR, 2021. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 118 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
118 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it, 208 citations in OpenAlex.
- Trametinib as a targeted treatment in cardiac and lymphatic presentations of Noonan syndrome.Frontiers in pediatrics · 2025Pooled it
- Characterization of Serous Retinopathy Associated with Cobimetinib: Integrated Safety Analysis of Four Studies.Drug safety · 2022Trial
- FAM43B mediates BMAL1-driven regulation of ERK signaling to promote cervical cancer progression.Journal of molecular histology · 2026Article
- The Imbalance Between Tumor Immunosurveillance and Tumor Immune Escape in Glioblastoma.Immunology and cell biology · 2026Review
- Cryptotanshinone Directly Targets MEK1 to Inhibit Migration and Invasion of Breast Cancer Cells Through Down-Regulating ERK/EMT Axis.Phytotherapy research : PTR · 2026Article
- Constitutively active MEK1 expression driven by the myeloid-selective MRP8 promoter induces epithelial hyperplasia and papilloma formation.Biochemical and biophysical research communications · 2026Article
- Tumor-Associated Macrophage Exosomal miR-142-5p Drives Prostate Cancer Neuroendocrine Differentiation via RERG/Ras/ERK Axis.FASEB journal : official publication of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology · 2026Article
- Jaceosidin inhibits cell viability and induces apoptosis in non-small cell lung cancer by inhibiting the Ras/Raf/MEK/ERK and Akt pathways.Oncology letters · 2026Article
- Glioma-intrinsic MAPK/ERK signaling promotes immunotherapy efficacy through T cell infiltration and interferon responses.Nature communications · 2026Article
- DNA-contact mutant p53 displaces BRCA2 from chromatin and drives R-loop-associated genome instability.Genome biology · 2026Article
- Diversity and Multi-Target Potential of Pyrazole, Imidazole or Triazole Derivatives in Modern Anticancer Therapy.International journal of molecular sciences · 2026Review
- Mechanism of MEK1 activation by phosphorylation.Biophysical journal · 2026Article
- GCN5-ERK lactylation-phosphorylation loop amplifies lactate-driven cancer progression.Nature chemical biology · 2026Article
- Therapeutic Effects ofInternational journal of molecular sciences · 2026Article
- ERKed by too much signaling: from oncogenic driver to therapeutic vulnerability.Cellular and molecular life sciences : CMLS · 2026Review
- Clinical Significance of Copper Chaperone for Superoxide Dismutase in Colorectal Cancer.Annals of gastroenterological surgery · 2026Article
- Signalling pathways in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) metastasis and invasion: Molecular mechanisms and therapeutic implications.Biochemistry and biophysics reports · 2026Review
- Identification of Novel Extracellular-Signal-Regulated Kinase 2 Inhibitors Through Machine Learning-Driven De Novo Design, Molecular Docking, and Free-Energy Perturbation.Pharmaceuticals (Basel, Switzerland) · 2026Article
- Targeting Folate Receptors for the Detection and Selective Treatment of Cancer: Advanced Precision Oncology in Practice.International journal of biological sciences · 2026Review
- Natural products as kinase inhibitors in lung cancer: molecular mechanisms, therapeutic potential, and clinical trials.Frontiers in pharmacology · 2026Review
58 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
3 authors at 2 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
The RAS-RAF-MEK-ERK pathway is the most well-studied of the MAPK cascades and is critical for cell proliferation, differentiation, and survival. Abnormalities in regulation resulting from mutations in components of this pathway, particularly in upstream proteins, RAS and RAF, are responsible for a significant fraction of human cancers and nearly all cutaneous melanomas. Activation of receptor tyrosine kinases by growth factors and various extracellular signals leads to the sequential activation of RAS, RAF, MEK, and finally ERK, which activates numerous transcription factors and facilitates oncogenesis in the case of aberrant pathway activation. While extensive studies have worked to elucidate the activation mechanisms and structural components of upstream MAPK components, comparatively less attention has been directed toward the kinases, MEK and ERK, due to the infrequency of oncogenic-activating mutations in these kinases. However, acquired drug resistance has become a major issue in the treatment of RAS- and RAF-mutated cancers. Targeting the terminal kinases in the MAPK cascade has shown promise for overcoming many of these resistance mechanisms and improving treatment options for patients with MAPK-aberrant cancers. Here, we will describe the role of MEK and ERK in MAPK signaling and summarize the current understanding of their interaction and activation mechanisms. We will also discuss existing approaches for targeting MEK and ERK, and the benefits of alternative strategies. Areas requiring further exploration will be highlighted to guide future research endeavors and aid in the development of alternative therapeutic strategies to combat surmounting drug resistance in treating MAPK-mediated cancers. VISUAL OVERVIEW: http://mcr.aacrjournals.org/content/molcanres/19/3/361/F1.large.jpg.
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What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.