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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Implementation of In Vitro Drug Resistance Assays: Maximizing the Potential for Uncovering Clinically Relevant Resistance Mechanisms
08:46

Implementation of In Vitro Drug Resistance Assays: Maximizing the Potential for Uncovering Clinically Relevant Resistance Mechanisms

Published on: December 9, 2015

The challenge of pathway and environment-mediated drug resistance

E A Sausville1

  • 1Developmental Therapeutics Program, National Cancer Institute, Rockville, MD 20852, USA. sausville@nih.gov

Cancer Metastasis Reviews
|February 8, 2002
PubMed

Insights

Cancer cells utilize specific pathways for growth and survival, leading to drug resistance distinct from traditional mechanisms. Targeting these pathways and the tumor microenvironment offers new combination therapy strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Molecular Oncology

Background:

  • Cancer cells exhibit critical pathways for proliferation, survival, invasion, and telomerase activation.
  • Tumor suppressor gene inactivation and oncogene activation are key to cancer cell success.
  • Cancer drug resistance can arise from altered pathway activity and the tumor microenvironment.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore novel mechanisms of cancer drug resistance.
  • To investigate the role of critical cancer pathways in mediating drug resistance.
  • To consider implications for developing combination cancer therapies.

Main Methods:

  • Analysis of cancer biology pathways.
  • Examination of tumor microenvironment influence on resistance.
  • Case study review of angiogenesis and EGF pathway interactions.

Main Results:

  • Cancer pathways, distinct from drug handling, mediate resistance.
  • Altered pathway predominance and tumor microenvironment drive resistance.
  • Up-regulation of angiogenesis regulators can occur with inhibition of EGF functions.

Conclusions:

  • Cancer drug resistance is influenced by pathway activity and microenvironment.
  • New therapeutic strategies should target distinct cancer pathways.
  • Combination regimens offer a promising approach for overcoming resistance.

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