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Updated: Sep 19, 2025

Establishing Dual Resistance to EGFR-TKI and MET-TKI in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro with a 2-step Dose-escalation Procedure
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Establishing Dual Resistance to EGFR-TKI and MET-TKI in Lung Adenocarcinoma Cells In Vitro with a 2-step Dose-escalation Procedure

Published on: August 11, 2017

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EGFR-TKI combination treatment for NSCLC with EGFR-sensitive mutation

Yuanqiang Wu1, Yunfei Li1, Lorraine Edna Onzere1

  • 1Department of Oncology, The Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University, Changsha, Hunan, China.

Expert Review of Anticancer Therapy
|June 18, 2025
PubMed
Abstract

Insights

Combined treatments show promise for overcoming resistance to epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Research reviews combination therapies to find optimal regimens for EGFR-mutated NSCLC.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Pharmacology
  • Genetics

Background:

  • Lung cancer is a leading cause of cancer mortality.
  • Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs) are effective for EGFR-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
  • Resistance to EGFR-TKIs is a significant clinical challenge.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review current research on combination therapies for EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
  • To identify the most effective and least harmful combination regimens involving EGFR-TKIs.
  • To address the unavoidable resistance to EGFR-TKIs.

Main Methods:

  • Literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, and Embase databases.
  • Review of studies on combination therapies for EGFR-mutated NSCLC.
  • Analysis of efficacy and adverse reactions of different combination regimens.

Main Results:

  • EGFR-TKIs combined with anti-angiogenic drugs offer short-term efficacy but increase adverse reactions without improving long-term survival.
  • EGFR-TKIs combined with chemotherapy show clear short-term benefits, with variable long-term efficacy in specific subgroups.
  • EGFR-TKIs combined with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) show a trend toward efficacy but require regimen optimization due to high adverse reactions.

Conclusions:

  • The optimal treatment for EGFR-mutated NSCLC remains an open question.
  • Combination therapies are partially effective in overcoming EGFR-TKI resistance.
  • Further research is needed to optimize combination regimens for improved efficacy and reduced toxicity.
Keywords:
EGFR-TKIsEGFR-sensitive mutationNon-small cell lung cancercombined therapyimmunotherapy

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