Understanding resistance to targeted therapies in head and neck, breast cancer

MSN highlighted University of Cincinnati Cancer Center and Cincinnati Veterans Affairs Medical Center research published in the journal Oncotarget that reviewed current research on why Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR)-targeted therapies often fail in breast and head and neck cancers. 

The review, led by co-corresponding authors Vinita Takiar, MD, and Susan Waltz, PhD, offers an in-depth look at the molecular barriers to EGFR inhibition and provides insights that could inform the development of more effective and durable treatments.

EGFR is a critical protein that regulates cell growth and survival, and it is frequently overexpressed in breast and head and neck cancers. Although therapies targeting EGFR showed early promise, resistance has become a significant challenge.

The review analyzes resistance mechanisms in breast cancer including the movement of EGFR from the cell surface into the nucleus, promoting DNA repair. By analyzing these resistance mechanisms, the authors highlight combination therapies from current research that target EGFR and other key molecular pathways that may enhance treatment outcomes.

"A recent phase 1 study has shown that patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck cancer who received BCA101, a bifunctional dual targeting drug that targets EGFR and TGF-β in combination with pembrolizumab, were able to achieve an overall response rate of 65%," the coauthors noted.

Read the MSN article.

Featured photo at top of pink Breast Cancer Awareness ribbon. Photo/Lludmila Chernetska/iStock.