Question

1. There are many different cellular kinases but all of the kinases bind ATP and catalyze the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to the substrate. Do kinase inhibitors affect ALL kinases or do they display some specificity? Explain

2. Assume you are an oncologist. One of your patients was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. What steps would you take to formulate an individualized treatment strategy? What specific information do you need to know to accomplish this goal?

Answer 1

Dear Student,

1)As mentioned, kinases bind ATP and catalyze the transfer of a phosphate group from ATP to the substrate by a process called as phosphorylation.

Human cells have different kinases and they have a role in many important functions like division, signalling, metabolism

Kinase inhibitors are enzyme inhibitor that blocks the action of kinase and they are mostly used for treatment of cancers now a days as they can block the metabolic processes,blood supply,etc to the targeted area .

Most of the protein kinase inhibitors are divided based on the aminoacid for which they add the phosphate (e.g., Serine,Threonine,etc). Some kinases act on more than1 aminoacids but some kinases are very specific like for example tyrosine kinase inhibitors which inhibits only tyrosine. All kinase inhibitors are not alike.

Eg of tyrosine kinase inhibitor is Dasatinib, which is used in the treatment of many leukemias.

2)Pancreatic cancer:

For treating pancreatic cancer as an Oncologist, we need to know the following answers for formulating a individualized treatment strategy such as

Age and the medical history of the patient

The stage of pancreatic cancer when it was diagnosed

Likelihood of the treatment of cancer and to know whether or needs to be treated surgically depending on severity and extent

Knowing the risks associated with different types of treatment approaches

Prognosis .

There are many treatment options depending on the extent of the cancer like for respectable, simple cancer surgery can be followed . For nonresectable cancers chemotherapy ,radiation therapy can help. Medications used good such kind of cancer include Gemcitabine, Capecitabine,etc

Hope this information helps you. . .