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Updated: Feb 14, 2026

Assessment of Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors by an Interrogation of Signal Transduction Pathways by Antibody Arrays
07:42

Assessment of Resistance to Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors by an Interrogation of Signal Transduction Pathways by Antibody Arrays

Published on: September 19, 2018

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Receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) in breast cancer: signaling, therapeutic implications and challenges

Ramesh Butti1, Sumit Das1, Vinoth Prasanna Gunasekaran1

  • 1Laboratory of Tumor Biology, Angiogenesis and Nanomedicine Research, National Centre for Cell Science, SP Pune University Campus, Pune, 411007, India.

Molecular Cancer
|February 20, 2018
PubMed

Insights

Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs) drive breast cancer progression by regulating key cell signaling pathways. While RTKs are therapeutic targets, mutations and pathway alterations present significant challenges to anti-RTK treatments.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cell Signaling

Background:

  • Breast cancer is a complex disease driven by genetic and epigenetic alterations affecting cell signaling pathways.
  • Growth factors and their receptors, particularly Receptor Tyrosine Kinases (RTKs), are crucial in cancer development and metastasis.
  • RTKs regulate critical downstream pathways like MAPK, PI3K/Akt, and JAK/STAT, influencing cancer stemness, angiogenesis, and tumor-stromal interactions.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To explore the multifaceted role of RTKs in breast cancer progression.
  • To highlight the significance of RTK-regulated pathways in cancer stemness, angiogenesis, and metastasis.
  • To discuss the therapeutic implications and challenges associated with targeting RTKs in breast cancer treatment.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scientific literature on RTKs and their role in breast cancer.
  • Analysis of signaling pathways regulated by RTKs (MAPK, PI3K/Akt, JAK/STAT).
  • Examination of therapeutic strategies targeting RTKs and associated challenges.

Main Results:

  • RTKs are key regulators of cell signaling cascades essential for tumor growth and metastasis.
  • RTK-mediated pathways are involved in cancer stemness, angiogenesis, and reciprocal interactions between tumor and stromal cells.
  • Despite their therapeutic potential, RTKs present challenges due to mutations, gene amplification, and alternative pathway activation.

Conclusions:

  • RTKs play a central role in breast cancer pathogenesis and progression.
  • Targeting RTKs offers a promising therapeutic avenue, but resistance mechanisms need to be addressed.
  • Further research is needed to overcome challenges in anti-RTK therapy for breast cancer.
Keywords:
Alternate pathway activationAngiogenesisAnti-RTK therapyBevacizumabBrest cancerCancer Stem cellsDrug resistanceLapatinibMetastasisTrastuzumabTumor microenvironmentTumor-stroma interaction

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