title: Predictive factors for epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors--the bull's-eye hits the arrow.
abstract: Studies have shown that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling is important to normal development and neoplastic transformation, and that EGFR inhibition reduces cancer cell proliferation. The promising response rates of the EGFR inhibitor gefitinib in patients with chemotherapy-refractory non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) led to its approval for clinical use. However, there was little understanding of why gefitinib was effective in only some NSCLC patients. Two recent studies have identified somatic mutations in EGFR that confer its sensitivity to gefitinib in vitro and correlate strongly with patients' clinical response to the inhibitor.
authors.affiliation: Investigational Drug Branch, Cancer Therapy Evaluation Program, National Cancer Institute, 6130 Executive Boulevard, Room 7131, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. danceyj@ctep.nci.nih.gov
authors.forename: Janet E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Dancey
mesh_terms: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002289:Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000235:genetics; D000077156:Gefitinib; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics; D009154:Mutation / Q000235:genetics; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000627:therapeutic use*
chemical_list: D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D011799:Quinazolines; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D000077156:Gefitinib