A therapeutic opportunity in melanoma: ErbB4 makes a mark on skin.
Malignant melanomas are aggressive tumors that are largely refractory to conventional drug therapies. A recent study reported in Nature Genetics identified mutationally activated ErbB4 alleles in 20% of cases. These tumor cells exhibit ErbB4 dependency, suggesting that ErbB4 kinase inhibition may constitute an effective therapeutic strategy in this setting.
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. settleman@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
Jeff
J
Settleman
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000494:pharmacology; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism; D015972:Gene Expression Regulation, Neoplastic; D005838:Genotype; D006801:Humans; D008545:Melanoma / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D009154:Mutation; D010641:Phenotype; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000494:pharmacology; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4; D012878:Skin Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000235:genetics* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; C587689:ERBB4 protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D066247:Receptor, ErbB-4