The quest to overcome resistance to EGFR-targeted therapies in cancer

CR Chong, PA Jänne - Nature medicine, 2013 - nature.com
CR Chong, PA Jänne
Nature medicine, 2013nature.com
All patients with metastatic lung, colorectal, pancreatic or head and neck cancers who
initially benefit from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies eventually
develop resistance. An increasing understanding of the number and complexity of
resistance mechanisms highlights the Herculean challenge of killing tumors that are
resistant to EGFR inhibitors. Our growing knowledge of resistance pathways provides an
opportunity to develop new mechanism-based inhibitors and combination therapies to …
Abstract
All patients with metastatic lung, colorectal, pancreatic or head and neck cancers who initially benefit from epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies eventually develop resistance. An increasing understanding of the number and complexity of resistance mechanisms highlights the Herculean challenge of killing tumors that are resistant to EGFR inhibitors. Our growing knowledge of resistance pathways provides an opportunity to develop new mechanism-based inhibitors and combination therapies to prevent or overcome therapeutic resistance in tumors. We present a comprehensive review of resistance pathways to EGFR-targeted therapies in lung, colorectal and head and neck cancers and discuss therapeutic strategies that are designed to circumvent resistance.
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