Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors (TKIs)
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Overview
Targeted cancer therapies that block specific tyrosine kinase enzymes involved in cancer cell growth and survival. By inhibiting these molecular targets, TKIs can halt cancer progression with generally more tolerable side effects than traditional chemotherapy. TKIs have revolutionized treatment of several cancers.
How do tyrosine kinase inhibitors (tkis) work?
Competitively inhibit specific tyrosine kinases (e.g., BCR-ABL, c-Kit, PDGFR) that drive cancer cell proliferation, blocking the ATP-binding site and preventing downstream signaling.
Drugs in this class
- Imatinib (Gleevec)