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.
Settleman
Jeff
J
Massachusetts General Hospital Cancer Center and Harvard Medical School, Charlestown, MA 02129, USA. settleman@helix.mgh.harvard.edu
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