Strategies for overcoming resistance to EGFR family tyrosine kinase inhibitors.

ABSTRACT: The first-generation epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors erlotinib and gefitinib have been incorporated into treatment paradigms for patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer. These agents are particularly effective in a subset of patients whose tumors harbor activating epidermal growth factor receptor mutations. However, most patients do not respond to these tyrosine kinase inhibitors, and those who do will eventually acquire resistance that typically results from a secondary epidermal growth factor receptor mutation (e.g., T790M), mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor amplification, or activation of other signaling pathways. For patients whose tumors have wild-type epidermal growth factor receptor, there are several known mechanisms of initial resistanc

SUBMITTER: Giaccone G 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3139833 | biostudies-literature | 2011 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature