Targeting the “Undruggable”: Small-Molecule Inhibitors of Proliferating Cell Nuclear Antigen (PCNA) in the Spotlight in Cancer Therapy

entering phase I clinical trials for cancer therapy, garnering academic and industry interest. These achievements provide new evidence for PCNA as a drug target. This article provides insight and perspective on the application of small-molecule PCNA inhibitors in cancer treatment, covering PCNA function, its relationship with cancer, structural modification of small molecule inhibitors, and discovery strategies.