The same three members of AKRs (AKR1C1, AKR1C2, and AKR1C3) that are involved in metabolism of aldehydes (xenobiotics, drugs) by cytochrome P450 and are overexpressed in cancer (see above) participate in the steroid biosynthesis pathway and could play more than detoxifying role in cancer cells. This evidence concerns the gene AKR1C2 and cancer.