Targeting the hepatocyte growth factor-cMET axis in cancer therapy.

ABSTRACT: The hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor, the transmembrane tyrosine kinase cMET, promote cell proliferation, survival, motility, and invasion as well as morphogenic changes that stimulate tissue repair and regeneration in normal cells but can be co-opted during tumor growth. MET overexpression, with or without gene amplification, has been reported in a variety of human cancers, including breast, lung, and GI malignancies. Furthermore, high levels of HGF and/or cMET correlate with poor prognosis in several tumor types, including breast, ovarian, cervical, gastric, head and neck, and non-small-cell lung cancers. Gene amplification and protein overexpression of cMET drive resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor family inhibitors, both in preclinical models and in patients.

SUBMITTER: Blumenschein GR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC3434988 | biostudies-literature | 2012 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature