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Updated: Apr 28, 2026

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

Published on: December 9, 2015

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Drug resistance to targeted therapies: déjà vu all over again

Floris H Groenendijk1, René Bernards1

  • 1Division of Molecular Carcinogenesis, Cancer Genomics Center Netherlands, The Netherlands Cancer Institute, Plesmanlaan 121, 1066 CX Amsterdam, The Netherlands.

Molecular Oncology
|June 10, 2014
PubMed

Insights

Drug resistance limits targeted cancer therapies. Combining targeted treatments and molecular monitoring can overcome this challenge for better cancer treatment outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Targeted anticancer therapies face intrinsic or acquired resistance, a significant clinical limitation.
  • Mechanisms of resistance to endocrine therapies in breast cancer share similarities with newer targeted cancer therapeutics.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review and emphasize the common mechanisms of drug resistance in targeted cancer therapies.
  • To highlight the need for mechanism-based combination strategies and molecular monitoring to overcome resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review focusing on resistance mechanisms in endocrine therapy and targeted cancer therapeutics.
  • Analysis of signaling pathway reactivation as a common resistance mechanism.

Main Results:

  • Resistance to single-agent targeted therapies often results from reactivation of cancer signaling pathways.
  • Targeted agents may not fully block cancer-relevant signaling pathways, contributing to resistance.

Conclusions:

  • Understanding shared resistance mechanisms is crucial for developing effective anticancer strategies.
  • Mechanism-based combination therapies coupled with non-invasive molecular monitoring offer a promising approach to delay and overcome drug resistance.
Keywords:
Anticancer therapyDrug combinationsDrug resistanceEndocrine therapyPathway reactivationTargeted therapy

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