Conditionally MYC:insights from novel transgenic models

MYC was one of the first oncogenes identified to be associated with chromosomal aberrations and one of the most common oncogenes involved in the pathogenesis of cancer. However, until recently it was not clear if MYC would be a good target for the treatment of cancer. New conditional transgenic models have been used to demonstrate that even the brief inactivation of MYC can reverse tumorigenesis. Here we review results from recent experimental model systems, which demonstrate that the inactivation of MYC may be a specific and effective treatment for many types of cancer.