Targeting EGFR in lung cancer: Lessons learned and future perspectives

Mol Aspects Med. 2015 Nov:45:67-73. doi: 10.1016/j.mam.2015.05.004. Epub 2015 May 27.

Abstract

The development of individualized therapies has become the focus of current oncology research. Precision medicine has demonstrated great potential for bringing safe and effective drugs to those patients stricken with cancer, and is becoming a reality as more oncogenic drivers of malignancy are discovered. The discovery of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) mutations as a driving mutation in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the subsequent success of the tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have led the way for NSCLC to be at the forefront of biomarker-based drug development. However, this direction was not always so clear, and this article describes the lessons learned in targeted therapy development from EGFR in NSCLC.

Keywords: EGFR; Lung cancer; NSCLC.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antinematodal Agents / therapeutic use
  • Biomarkers, Tumor / genetics
  • ErbB Receptors / genetics*
  • ErbB Receptors / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Lung Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Lung Neoplasms / genetics
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy*
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / antagonists & inhibitors
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / genetics
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases / metabolism
  • Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic

Substances

  • Antinematodal Agents
  • Biomarkers, Tumor
  • Protein Kinase Inhibitors
  • EGFR protein, human
  • ErbB Receptors
  • Protein-Tyrosine Kinases