Find the clues that cause cancer resistance

Scientists have conducted a study of drug resistance to some cancers and confirmed that the effects of anticancer drugs will increase efficiency if drug resistance is prevented in the tumor.

According to research results, published in the journal Science Translational Medicine , a chemical reaction took place excessively when resistance was developed. A group of international researchers are investigating a cancer drug called cetuximab , which is used to treat colon and lung cancer.

They aimed at a protein that developed the tumor, called epidermal factor receptor receptor (EGFR) , which is outside the cell receptor. In the end, they said, all patients were resistant to cetuximab but how little this resistance was developed.

Experiments show that cancer cells act as cars in traffic congestion, when a route is blocked, it will immediately find another path. In this case, tumors replaced EGFR with another protein-containing receptor, called ERBB2 , and continued to grow.

Professor Pasi Janne of Dana-Farber Oncology Institute (Boston, USA) said ERBB2 will activate another pathway, free from cetuximab blockade and in this way will cause cetuximab to be ineffective.

Because ERBB2 is not affected by cetuximab, this is the easiest way for cancers to become resistant. Researchers believe that some drugs aimed at ERBB2 have been approved for circulation, so recent research findings may be applied to potential treatment regimens.

However, the researchers caution that cancer can develop resistance in other ways.

Henry Scowcrof, Executive Director of Information at the British Cancer Institute, said the patients' tumors could become resistant and to find the reason for this condition was a major research challenge. about cancer treatment.

The new study results in great optimism for scientists and helps them find ways to prevent drug resistance in cancer patients.