A focused compound screen highlights the significance of epidermal growth factor receptor signalling in chordoma

Mira Ghaly1, Corin Seelemann1, Arezu Jahani-Asl1

  • 1Department of Oncology, Faculty of Medicine, McGill University and Lady Davis Medical Research Institute, Jewish General Hospital, Montreal, Quebec, Canada.

The Journal of Pathology
|August 20, 2016
PubMed

Insights

Chordoma, a rare bone cancer, shows resistance to chemotherapy. Targeting epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and MET signaling with combined inhibitors offers a promising strategy to overcome this resistance in chordoma patients.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Cancer Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Chordoma is a rare primary bone cancer with limited therapeutic strategies.
  • Recurrent and metastatic chordoma exhibits significant chemoresistance, necessitating novel treatment approaches.
  • Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling is implicated in chordoma progression.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate the role of EGFR signaling in chordoma.
  • To evaluate the efficacy of EGFR inhibitors, alone and in combination with MET inhibitors, for treating chemoresistant chordoma.

Main Methods:

  • Focused compound drug screening was employed.
  • The study assessed the impact of EGFR and MET inhibitors on chordoma cell growth, particularly in resistant models.

Main Results:

  • EGFR signaling is significant in chordoma.
  • EGFR inhibitors show potential for chordoma treatment.
  • Combining EGFR and MET inhibitors demonstrated a synergistic effect on inhibiting resistant chordoma cell growth.

Conclusions:

  • Targeting EGFR signaling presents a viable therapeutic avenue for chordoma.
  • Combined inhibition of EGFR and MET offers a promising strategy to overcome chemoresistance in chordoma.

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