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Implementation of In Vitro Drug Resistance Assays: Maximizing the Potential for Uncovering Clinically Relevant Resistance Mechanisms
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Understanding and targeting resistance mechanisms in cancer

Zi-Ning Lei1,2, Qin Tian1, Qiu-Xu Teng2

  • 1Precision Medicine Center Scientific Research Center The Seventh Affiliated Hospital Sun Yat-Sen University Shenzhen P. R. China.

Medcomm
|May 25, 2023
PubMed

Insights

Cancer treatment resistance is a major challenge, driven by complex mechanisms. This review explores these resistance pathways and innovative strategies, including combination therapies and novel drug delivery systems, to improve patient outcomes.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Cancer Biology

Background:

  • Cancer therapy resistance is a significant clinical problem, leading to treatment failure and reduced patient survival.
  • Resistance mechanisms are diverse, involving genetic, epigenetic, and tumor microenvironment (TME) factors.
  • Understanding these mechanisms is crucial for developing effective cancer treatments.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the multifaceted mechanisms of cancer drug resistance.
  • To discuss current and emerging strategies for overcoming treatment resistance.
  • To highlight recent advancements in therapeutic approaches and drug design.

Main Methods:

  • Comprehensive literature review of cancer resistance mechanisms.
  • Analysis of various tackling strategies, including biomarker identification and drug development.
  • Exploration of novel approaches like combination therapies, nanoparticle delivery, and advanced drug design.

Main Results:

  • Identified key resistance mechanisms: drug inactivation, altered drug accumulation, target modification, compensatory survival pathways, DNA repair/cell death regulation, tumor plasticity, and TME influence.
  • Highlighted strategies: biomarker discovery, new target identification, combination therapies, and TME modulation.
  • Reviewed emerging solutions: polytherapy, nanoparticle delivery systems, and advanced drug design tools.

Conclusions:

  • Cancer resistance is a complex, multifactorial issue requiring multifaceted solutions.
  • Innovative strategies such as polytherapy and advanced drug delivery show promise in overcoming resistance.
  • Continued research into resistance mechanisms and therapeutic interventions is essential for improving cancer treatment efficacy.
Keywords:
cancer therapycombination therapydrug resistanceresensitization

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