MicroRNAs as potential agents to alter resistance to cytotoxic anticancer therapy.

Tumor cells use preexisting prosurvival signaling pathways to evade the damaging and cytotoxic effects of anticancer agents. Radiation therapy is a primary form of cytotoxic anticancer treatment, but agents that successfully modify the radiation response in vivo are lacking. MicroRNAs (miRNA) are global gene regulators that play critical roles in oncogenesis and have been found to regulate prosurvival pathways.