The Pharmaceutical Journal
Vol 277 No 7414 p215
19 August 2006

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Molecular basis of drug resistance in lung cancer

The molecular basis of resistance to chemotherapy for small cell lung cancer has been identified by Cancer Research UK researchers. The study may lead to the development of drugs to counteract this type of resistance in this and other forms of cancer, they say (EMBO Journal 2006;25:3078).

Tumours with a protein called fibroblast growth factor-2 (FGF-2) are known to be less likely to respond to treatment, say the researchers. “Looking at FGF-2 led us to other molecules required for drug resistance, particularly one called S6K2. It seems to regulate a number of proteins that control whether cells live or die. It is also essential for the development of drug resistance in small cell lung cancer,” said Julian Downward, head of Cancer Research UK’s signal transduction laboratory.

The researchers explain that there are already drugs in development that can block the action of FGF-2 but, because it also has important functions in healthy cells, blocking it may produce serious side effects in patients. S6K2 has fewer functions in healthy cells so if new drugs to inhibit it can be developed, this may be a better way to reverse resistance.