A Concise Review on Tyrosine Kinase Targeted Cancer Therapy

Tyrosine Kinase (TK) is considered one of the important family members of the kinase family due to its important role in various cellular processes like cell growth, cell differentiation, apoptosis, etc. Mutation, overexpression, and dysfunction of tyrosine kinase receptors lead to the development of malignancy; thus, they are considered one of the important targets for the development of anti-cancer molecules. The tyrosine kinase family is majorly divided into two classes; receptor and non-receptor tyrosine kinase. Both of the classes have an important role in the development of tumour cells. Currently, more than 40 FDA-approved tyrosine kinase inhibitors are used to treat various types of cancers. Tyrosine kinase inhibitors mainly block the phosphorylation of tyrosine residue of the corresponding kinase substrate, so activation of downstream signalling pathways can be inhibited. The promising results of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in solid tumours have revolutionized oncology research. In this article, we summarized the role of some important members of the tyrosine kinase family in the development and progression of tumour cells and the significance of tyrosine kinase inhibitors in the treatment of various types of cancer.