Heat Shock Proteins as Prognostic Markers of Cancer

This review systematically examines the literature and data on the prognostic significance of heat shock proteins (heat shock protein-Hsp) Hsp27, Hsp60, Hsp70, Hsp90 in various cancers. Our analysis of the literature showed that the existing data are contradictory with regard to the prognostic significance of Hsp. This result may be due to biological differences of the carcinomas studied and methodological differences in the assessment of heat shock proteins. Heat shock proteins play a significant role in the development of cancer, as they are highly expressed and thus allow tumor cells to escape apoptotic death. Therefore, the inhibition of Hsps is currently an attractive potential therapeutic approach against cancer.