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Updated: May 25, 2025
Implementation of In Vitro Drug Resistance Assays: Maximizing the Potential for Uncovering Clinically Relevant Resistance Mechanisms
Published on: December 9, 2015
Breaking barriers: we need a multidisciplinary approach to tackle cancer drug resistance
James Ingham1, Jia-Ling Ruan2, Matthew A Coelho3
1Department of Physics, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK.
Abstract:
Most cancer-related deaths result from drug-resistant disease(1,2). However, cancer drug resistance is not a primary focus in drug development. Effectively mitigating and treating drug-resistant cancer will require advancements in multiple fields, including early detection, drug discovery, and our fundamental understanding of cancer biology. Therefore, successfully tackling drug resistance requires an increasingly multidisciplinary approach. A recent workshop on cancer drug resistance, jointly organised by Cancer Research UK, the Rosetrees Trust, and the UKRI-funded Physics of Life Network, brought together experts in cell biology, physical sciences, computational biology, drug discovery, and clinicians to focus on these key challenges and devise interdisciplinary approaches to address them. In this perspective, we review the outcomes of the workshop and highlight unanswered research questions. We outline the emerging hallmarks of drug resistance and discuss lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic and antimicrobial resistance that could help accelerate information sharing and timely adoption of research discoveries into the clinic. We envisage that initiatives that drive greater interdisciplinarity will yield rich dividends in developing new ways to better detect, monitor, and treat drug resistance, thereby improving treatment outcomes for cancer patients.
Insights
Drug-resistant cancer causes most cancer deaths but lacks focus in drug development. A multidisciplinary approach is crucial for advancing detection, discovery, and understanding to combat cancer drug resistance.
Area of Science:
- Oncology
- Drug Discovery
- Interdisciplinary Research
Background:
- Drug-resistant cancer is the primary cause of cancer-related mortality.
- Cancer drug resistance is currently underrepresented in drug development pipelines.
- Addressing drug resistance necessitates advancements in early detection, drug discovery, and cancer biology.
Purpose of the Study:
- To review outcomes of a workshop focused on cancer drug resistance.
- To highlight key challenges and unanswered research questions in cancer drug resistance.
- To propose interdisciplinary approaches for mitigating and treating drug-resistant cancers.
Main Methods:
- Convened experts from diverse fields including cell biology, physical sciences, computational biology, drug discovery, and clinicians.
- Reviewed outcomes and discussions from a joint workshop.
- Examined lessons from COVID-19 and antimicrobial resistance for accelerating research translation.
Main Results:
- Identified emerging hallmarks of cancer drug resistance.
- Highlighted the need for enhanced information sharing and clinical adoption of research findings.
- Emphasized the potential of interdisciplinary initiatives to improve cancer patient outcomes.
Conclusions:
- A multidisciplinary approach is essential for tackling cancer drug resistance.
- Interdisciplinary initiatives can accelerate the development of new strategies for detecting, monitoring, and treating drug resistance.
- Improved treatment outcomes for cancer patients can be achieved through focused efforts on drug resistance.
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