MELK and cancer: MELK is widely considered an oncogenic kinase since it has been found overexpressed and associated with tumor growth, metastasis, recurrence, and ultimately a considerably poor prognosis in cancer patients, including those bearing tumors of the breast, lung, esophagus, and liver, among others [39], while its overexpression has been incriminated for the observed resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy [40,41].