Targeting calcium signaling in cancer therapy

Abstract The intracellular calcium ions (Ca2+) act as second messenger to regulate gene transcription, cell proliferation, migration and death. Accumulating evidences have demonstrated that intracellular Ca2+ homeostasis is altered in cancer cells and the alteration is involved in tumor initiation, angiogenesis, progression and metastasis. Targeting derailed Ca2+ signaling for cancer therapy has become an emerging research area. This review summarizes some important Ca2+ channels, transporters and Ca2+-ATPases, which have been reported to be altered in human cancer patients. It discusses