Cyclin-Dependent Kinase Inhibitors in Combination Chemotherapy

Abstract

Cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitors (CDKIs) represent a new class of anticancer therapeutics. Perturbations in the cell cycle are commonly described in carcinogenesis. This novel class of anticancer therapeutics exploits these perturbations to achieve tumor-specific cytotoxicity. In the last several years, our understanding of cell-cycle regulation has improved with the emerging concepts of cell-cycle-mediated drug resistance and cell-cycle modulation to improve cytotoxic drug efficacy. It is becoming increasingly apparent that CDKIs may improve cytotoxic drug efficacy by functioning as cell-cycle modulators. In this chapter, we review the field of CDKIs as novel anticancer therapeutics, with a focus on their efficacy in drug combinations.