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Updated: Oct 12, 2025

Implementation of In Vitro Drug Resistance Assays: Maximizing the Potential for Uncovering Clinically Relevant Resistance Mechanisms
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FGF/FGFR-Dependent Molecular Mechanisms Underlying Anti-Cancer Drug Resistance

Jakub Szymczyk1, Katarzyna Dominika Sluzalska1, Izabela Materla1

  • 1Department of Protein Engineering, Faculty of Biotechnology, University of Wroclaw, Ul. F. Joliot-Curie 14a, 50-383 Wroclaw, Poland.

Cancers
|November 27, 2021
PubMed

Insights

The FGF/FGFR axis drives cancer drug resistance by promoting cell survival and metastasis. Inhibiting this pathway is promising but may cause new resistance mechanisms, necessitating further research for novel therapeutic strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Cancer Research

Background:

  • Fibroblast Growth Factor (FGF) proteins and their receptors (FGFRs) are upregulated in many cancers.
  • This aberrant FGF/FGFR axis signaling is linked to chemoresistance and poor therapeutic outcomes.
  • Dysregulation of FGF/FGFR signaling contributes to cancer progression and malignancy.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the mechanisms by which the FGF/FGFR axis contributes to cancer drug resistance.
  • To explore the therapeutic potential and challenges of targeting the FGF/FGFR pathway.
  • To highlight the need for novel strategies to overcome FGF/FGFR-mediated resistance.

Main Methods:

  • Literature review of studies investigating FGF/FGFR signaling in cancer.
  • Analysis of molecular mechanisms linking FGF/FGFR axis to chemoresistance.
  • Synthesis of information on therapeutic strategies and resistance development.

Main Results:

  • FGF/FGFR axis activation promotes cancer cell proliferation, survival, and motility.
  • FGFR signaling inhibits apoptosis and enhances angiogenesis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT).
  • Targeting FGF/FGFR is a promising strategy, but resistance can emerge through mutations and cross-talk.

Conclusions:

  • The FGF/FGFR axis plays a critical role in the development of cancer drug resistance.
  • Inhibitory strategies targeting FGF/FGFR show therapeutic promise but face challenges of acquired resistance.
  • Further research is essential to develop effective therapeutic approaches to overcome FGF/FGFR-driven resistance.
Keywords:
FGFFGFRanti-cancer drugscancercancer treatmentdrug resistance

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