Understanding the molecular bases of secondary resistance to EGFR targeted therapies in colorectal cancer
Aree / Gruppi di ricerca
Partecipanti al progetto
- Prof. Alberto BARDELLI (Coordinatore/trice)
- Boscaro Valentina (Ricercatore/trice)
- Gallicchio Margherita (Ricercatore/trice)
Descrizione del progetto
Partners:
Department of Oncology, University of Turin, Italy (aggiornare link a nuovo sito dip. oncologia)
Sponsors:
MIUR
Description
Personalized cancer medicine based on the genetic milieu of individual colorectal tumors has long been postulated but until recently this concept was not supported by clinical evidence. The advent of the EGFR-targeted monoclonal antibodies cetuximab and panitumumab has paved the way to the individualized treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC). Unfortunately, almost all cancer patients who have clinical response to anti EGFR therapies show disease progression after 9-18 months. The reasons why response is transitory and tumors (in most cases liver metastases) after massive initial regression rapidly begin to re-grow and concomitantly become refractory to further anti EGFR treatment are elusive. The main scope of this proposal is to understand the molecular mechanisms underlying secondary resistance to anti EGFR therapies in colorectal tumors.
Keywords:
Colorectal cancer, EGFR inhibitor resistance, Patient selection for personalized therapies