Update on Aurora kinase inhibitors in gynecologic malignancies

Aurora kinases are essential for the regulation of chromosome segregation and cytokinesis during mitosis and play a role in tumorigenesis and tumor progression in humans. Aurora kinase A and Aurora kinase B are overexpressed in some gynecologic cancers, and their overexpression is associated with poor prognosis. Thus, targeting of Aurora kinases has become an attractive strategy for pharmaceutical companies, who have developed more than 30 Aurora kinase inhibitors for treatment of cancers. Some of these inhibitors have been shown to be effective in targeted therapies for human cancer, and others are currently being investigated. In this review, we summarize the most recent advances in preclinical studies and clinical trials of patented Aurora kinase inhibitors for gynecologic tumors.