Resistance to HER2 inhibitors: Is addition better than substitution? Rationale for the hypothetical concept of drug sedimentation

Mario Campone, Philippe Juin, Fabrice André, Thomas Bachelot

    Research output: Contribution to journalReview articlepeer-review

    20 Citations (Scopus)

    Abstract

    Twenty years were passed between the discovery of oncogene HER2, the description of its implication in mammary carcinogenesis, and the development of specific targeted therapies. To date, trastuzumab and lapatinib are the two anti-HER2 targeted therapies commonly used, demonstrating therapeutic effects. Although their clinical efficacy seems to be exclusively related to the amplification of the HER2 gene or to the overexpression of the protein, these factors are not sufficient since tumors can develop resistance. Because of a better knowledge in those mechanisms of resistance, novel therapeutic agents could help to bypass them. How should these be used with respect to current anti-HER2 targeted therapies? Recent notions such as oncogene addiction, tumor cell dormancy and residual disease led us to propose a new entity that we named the "sedimentation strategy" in which distinct targeted approaches are summed during the treatment of metastatic breast cancer patients.

    Original languageEnglish
    Pages (from-to)195-205
    Number of pages11
    JournalCritical Reviews in Oncology/Hematology
    Volume78
    Issue number3
    DOIs
    Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2011

    Keywords

    • Lapatinib
    • Predictive factors
    • Resistance
    • Trastuzumab

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