The complex role and molecular mechanism of family with sequence similarity genes in cancer: a comprehensive review

Abstract

Abstract The family with sequence similarity (FAM) is a family of genes with unknown functions and similar sequences. However, recent studies have reported that many FAM members play important roles in the onset and progression of cancer. Specifically, the expression of this type of gene is abnormal in tissues and cells of different types of cancer and is related to the prognosis of cancer patients. In addition, their expression regulates the proliferation, migration, invasion, epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT), and drug resistance of different types of cancer cells. Some members even show dual and contradictory effects in tumor-promoting or suppressing cancer. In this review, we summarized the role of FAM members in various solid tumors and sorted out the regulatory mechanism of FAM involved in tumor signal transduction, confirming their role as an important node in tumor signal transduction. Their potential as tumor markers and therapeutic targets was highlighted, offering new insights for cancer research.

Keywords

• Family with sequence similarity
• Signaling pathways
• Tumor markers
• EMT
• FAM83
• Cancer