The platelet-derived growth factors (PDGFs) and their receptors (PDGFRs) play a key role in signaling pathways in oncogenesis. The overexpression of PDGFs and PDGFRs and the oncogenic alterations of these receptors have been implicated in human cancers and correlated significantly with poor outcomes. This review discusses the biology of the PDGF isoforms and receptors briefly, and their role in oncogenesis. Also, the attractiveness of targeting PDGFs and PDGFRs, based on a wide display of oncologic alterations in cancers, diverse therapeutic strategies, their roles in resistance to cancer treatments with prospects of overcoming drug resistance, and the extent to which validated biomarkers have been developed for effective PDGFs and PDGFRs-based cancer management are discussed.
Keywords: PDGF isoforms; PDGF receptors; PDGFRs mutation; biomarker; cancer treatments; drug resistance.