Regulation of calcium signaling in lung cancer.

Lung cancer is the most common malignant tumor in the world. Calcium is a ubiquitous cellular signal, which is crucial in cancer. This review presents regulation of calcium signaling in lung cancer. Altered expression of specific Ca(2+) channels and Ca(2+)-binding proteins are characterizing features of lung cancer, which regulate cell signaling pathway leading to cell proliferation or apoptosis. Chemoresistance is frequent in lung cancer. Altered endoplasmic reticulum Ca(2+) homeostasis of lung cancer cell is correlated with drug resistance. Hypoxia has a vital role in tumor angiogenesis, metastasis, apoptosis. And Ca(2+) channels are open induced by hypoxia with the increase of Ca(2+) influx causing tumor growth.