BRONCOLOGIA 

Minerva Pneumologica 2014 March;53(1):9-14

Copyright © 2014 EDIZIONI MINERVA MEDICA

lingua: Inglese

Acquired resistance to EGFR inhibition in non-small cell lung cancer

Chi A. ¹, Yu J. ², Rojanasakol Y. ³, Monga M. ⁴, Tse W. ⁴, Remick S. ⁵

¹ Department of Radiation Oncology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; ² Molecular Medicine Core, Mary‑Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; ³ Department of Pharmaceutical Sciences and Mary‑Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; ⁴ Department of Hematology and Oncology, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA; ⁵ Mary‑Babb Randolph Cancer Center, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV, USA

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibition through small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) or mono-clonal antibodies has been shown to be an excellent treatment option for patients with advanced stage adenocarcinoma of the lung with EGFR sensitizing mutations on exons 19, and 21. However, acquired resistance ultimately develops in most of these patients, which is increasingly recognized with growing clinical experience on the use of EGFR TKIs. In this review, the currently known mechanisms of acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs and the potential strategies to circumvent EGFR TKI resistance will be discussed.