Bibliothèque de L'IMIST/CNRST

Combating Cancer: New Approaches through Improved Diagnosis and Immunotherapy
Albert SASSON

The Rising World of MicroRNAs: Oncogenes and Tumor Suppressors in Cancer
Fadila GUESSOUS, Ying ZHANG and Roger ABOUNADER

Molecular characterization of triple negative breast cancers: potential
application for targeted therapy
Giovanna CHIORINO

The Molecular Basis of Viro-Induced Carcinogenesis
Mohammed EL MZIBRI, Imane CHAOUI, Meriem KHYATTI and Mohammed ATTALEB

Assessment of Molecular Biomarkers for Bladder Cancer Diagnosis, Grading and Prognosis
Hajar AHANIDI, Chaimae HAFIDI ALAOUI, Mounia BENSAID, Mohammed EL MZIBRI, Ahmed AMEUR, Mohammed ABBAR, Abderrahmane AL BOUZIDI and Mohammed Attaleb

Evaluation of GPX1 Pro198Leu Polymorphism, GSTP1 Expression and Gene Promoter methylation in Moroccan patients with Bladder Cancer
Khaoula HADAMI, Nadia DAKKA, Mounia BENSAID, Ahmed AMEUR, Hafsa CHAHDI, Mohamed OUKABLI, Abderrahmane AL BOUZIDI, Mohammed ATTALEB and Mohammed EL MZIBRI

Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Mutational Profile in Lung Cancer Moroccan Cohort
Houda KAANANE, Hicham EL ATTAR, Amal LOUAHABBI, IGOT CASA, Hind BERRADI,Hind HASSANI IDRISSI, Meriem KHYATTI, Sellama NADIFI

Expression Profile of Breast Cancer in Moroccan Women
Salah Eddine AYOUBI, Paola OSTANO, Maurizia MELLO-GRAND, Ilaria GREGNANIN,Mohamed ELKARROUMI, Giovanna CHIORINO and Sellama NADIFI

Comparative Study of Clinicopathological Features and Prognostic in Triple Negative and Non-Triple Negative Breast Cancer in the North of Morocco
Touria DERKAOUI, Mohamed MANSOURI, Joaira BAKKACH, Mohamed FIHRI,Ali LOUDIYI, Amina BARAKAT, Naima GHAILANI NOUROUTI and Mohcine BENNANI MECHITA

Cancer is a major public-health problem in Africa. However the advances made in the treatment
of these range of diseases over the past decade are hopeful and the emergence of targeted therapies
has changed the evolution of some cancers, known to have a poor prognosis. These therapies
have a very high cost which makes them out of reach of the majority of patients in developing
countries. There are typically three main types of cancer treatment through surgery, radiotherapy
and chemotherapy. The latter is undoubtedly saving lives but at the cost of significant toxicity.
The risk of toxicity associated with chemotherapy must therefore be weighed against the risk of
cancer progression due to the discontinuation of systemic therapy.
Thanks to precision medicine, a revolution is also in progress. Targeted therapies are thus
currently carried out and help understanding the mechanisms of cancer-cell function. Targeted
therapy uses a “selective” drug that attacks cancer cells by spotting a specific target. This target
can be a receptor, a gene or a protein, and the targeted action must intervene at a precise stage of
the development of the tumor cell, protecting as much as possible the healthy cells.
Targeted therapy is mainly involved in signal transduction pathways, which controls cell
multiplication. The so-called tyrosine kinase pathway is the best known up to date. Monoclonal
antibodies or enzymatic inhibitors can block this pathway. By acting on specific receptors, these
drugs can block the growth of cancer cells, by preventing the tumor from inducing its own
vascularization; or they can stimulate the immune system of the patient against cancer cells.
Also should be mentioned the recently approved immunotherapy treatment of non small-cell
metastatic bronchial-cell cancers. Targeted therapy can also control cancer-cell death, enhancing
apoptosis or the natural death of the cell. Some products are being developed for the treatment
of cancers of the upper aero-digestive tract (head and neck). These are examples of targeted
therapies, being tried and used up to date and which have significantly improved the treatment
of cancers. This was the focus of the three-day Summer School (16-18 July 2018), organized by
the Hassan II Academy of Science and Technology (Life Sciences and Biotechnology section),
in close cooperation with the Al Akhawayn University at Ifrane, Morocco.
The program also aimed to the discuss the situation in Morocco and Africa, as well as on how to
make the new therapies available to the patients. The participants in the summer school included,
in addition to renowned experts from Morocco, Africa and other countries, 15 young researchers
(including two from Africa) and 25 senior researchers from various Moroccan institutions.
This special issue of Frontiers in Science and Engineering includes eight articles or presentations
of from this summer school.
A. Sasson, S. Nadifi, A. Filali-Maltouf and C. Martínez Alonso
Members of the Life Sciences and Biotechnology Section