Journal
CANCERS
Volume 9, Issue 9, Pages -Publisher
MDPI AG
DOI: 10.3390/cancers9090118
Keywords
anaplastic lymphoma kinase; echinoderm microtubule-associated protein; non-small cell lung cancer; tyrosine kinase inhibitor
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Funding
- Cancer Research UK [C24461/A23302]
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Since the discovery of the fusion between EML4 (echinoderm microtubule associated protein-like 4) and ALK (anaplastic lymphoma kinase), EML4-ALK, in lung adenocarcinomas in 2007, and the subsequent identification of at least 15 different variants in lung cancers, there has been a revolution in molecular-targeted therapy that has transformed the outlook for these patients. Our recent focus has been on understanding how and why the expression of particular variants can affect biological and molecular properties of cancer cells, as well as identifying the key signalling pathways triggered, as a result. In the clinical setting, this understanding led to the discovery that the type of variant influences the response of patients to ALK therapy. Here, we discuss what we know so far about the EML4-ALK variants in molecular signalling pathways and what questions remain to be answered. In the longer term, this analysis may uncover ways to specifically treat patients for a better outcome.
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