Knocking Out Lung Cancer

Researchers have shown a combination of epidermal growth factor receptor drugs with one targeting tumor necrosis factor can effectively block cancer from using TNF as an escape route in mouse models, when the escape route was blocked the cancer became sensitive to EGFR treatment.

Lung cancer is among the most common causes of cancer deaths in the USA for both women and men according to the National Cancer Institute. In 2017 lung cancer caused 26% of all cancer death within the USA. Non-small cell lung cancer which EGFR/TNF inhibitor combination would be effective includes approximately 85% of all lung cancers.

This work builds on prior work showing the same combination was successful in model mouse of deadly glioblastoma brain cancer. Phase 2 is clinical trial of the 2 drug combination, which are already FDA approved, which is hoped to launch within a year. Trial will include patients with glioblastoma and lung cancer.  If effective the strategy may be applicable for other cancers expressing EGFR such as neck, colon, and head cancers.

Anti-EGFR/TNF strategy advantage is that the drugs are well tolerated. TNF and EGFR inhibitors fall into targeted drugs category affecting specific molecules with cancer with fewer side effects.  Where as traditional chemotherapy drugs have broad effects, killing cells in cancer and healthy cells alike leading to unpleasant side effects.

EGFR inhibitor until now have only been effective in treating 10-15% of non-small lung cancers with a variant of EGFR. The combination potentially could work for all non-small cell lung cancers, with a possibility of significantly altering how lung cancer is treated, as published in the Journal of Clinical Investigation.