Cell cycle markers in clinical oncology

Analysis of complex and redundant pathways that control proliferation, differentiation, apoptosis and DNA damage response by global genome wide analysis is an intensive area of investigation aimed at identifying unique molecular signatures of prognostic significance in cancer. An alternative approach is to focus on the cell cycle machinery, which acts as an integration point for information transduced through upstream signalling pathways. Analysis of the DNA replication licensing pathway and the mitotic regulatory machinery in tumour biopsy material is now leading to the identification of novel biomarkers that are being exploited in cancer detection and prognostic assessment.