EGFR, or epidermal growth factor receptor, is a protein that lives on the surface of cells. Scientists have identified EGFR as an oncogene that has potential to cause cancer. The discovery of the oncogene led to the development of anti-cancer drugs that are designed to slow down, or prevent, a cancer from occurring.
On November 20, 2011, researchers at Johns Hopkins published an article in the Nature Structural and Molecular Biology journal reporting that changes in the DNA of a gene can drive the growth of a specific kind of lung cancer and make the cancer cells resistant to drugs. The study showed that some classes of drugs will not work and other types, called kinase inhibitors like erlotinib (also called Tarceva), may be the most effective drug for treating non-small cell lung cancers that have these DNA changes.
This research is very important for patients and scientists involved in clinical trial studies in the future. Because the different types or variations of the EGFR protein can be separated out prior to a clinical trial and the studies will be able to determine which drug works best on which type, or variation, of the EGFR protein. The research also revealed that not all EGFR proteins and their variations responded to the same drugs that a normal protein did.
Non-small cell lung cancer is one of the most common types of this disease. It’s origin is usually found to come from the DNA changes in the EGFR gene which controls cell growth. The genetic changes in the gene cause the cells to grow rapidly and out of control which is a characteristic of cancer.
Cetuximab (or Erbitux) was another drug looked at in this study and scientists observed that it slows down the activity of normal EGFR proteins, and does not significantly reduce the altered activity of EGFR genes, meaning it is not enough to stop cancer cells from growing. The study concluded from this that erlotinib (Tarceva) is a better drug for treating non-small cell lung cancers that have been found to have altered forms, or variations, of the EGFR protein.
Patients who are currently being treated for non-small cell lung cancer, taking the drug, cetuximab (Erbitux) and are concerned about the how their cancer is being controlled should discuss their concerns with their oncologist (cancer doctor) to learn about their specific condition.
For more information on the Johns Hopkins study, click here.
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