What Role Does the Hedgehog Pathway Play in Cancer?
The Hedgehog pathway is implicated in several types of cancer, including basal cell carcinoma, medulloblastoma, and pancreatic cancer. Aberrant activation of this pathway can occur through various mechanisms, such as mutations in PTCH or SMO, overexpression of Hedgehog ligands, or loss of negative regulators like Suppressor of Fused (SUFU). This leads to uncontrolled cell proliferation and survival, contributing to tumorigenesis.
