Can Defective DNA Repair Be Targeted for Cancer Therapy?
Yes, targeting defective DNA repair mechanisms is a promising approach in cancer therapy. One example is the use of PARP inhibitors in cancers with BRCA1 or BRCA2 mutations. These inhibitors exploit the defective repair pathways in cancer cells, leading to cell death while sparing normal cells with functional repair mechanisms. This concept is known as synthetic lethality.
