Therapeutic Strategies in Epithelial Cancer Through Signalling Inhibition of the Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor.

癌细胞的生长受到许多因素的调节，包括癌细胞表面上生长受体的存在。表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）存在于一些正常组织中，但在许多常见癌症中高度表达，包括脑癌、乳腺癌、肺癌、头颈癌、结肠癌和前列腺癌。我们正在开发一些潜在的治疗化合物，通过抑制癌细胞中的EGFR发挥作用。这些化合物包括一种新的单克隆抗体，它与EGFR结合并抑制其功能，以及一种小分子，它与癌细胞内的EGFR部分结合并抑制其功能。在实验室研究中，这两种化合物都能防止肿瘤生长。本项目将研究这些化合物的作用机制，并探索提高其抗癌效果的方法。我们还表明，将这些化合物与其他治疗方法如化疗相结合，可显著增强其抗癌作用。我们将进一步研究这些作用的机制，并确定放射治疗是否具有附加的抗癌作用。这些研究将为改善过度表达EGFR的癌症的治疗提供基础。

The growth of cancer cells is regulated by many factors, including the presence of growth receptors on the surface of cancer cells. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is present in some normal tissues, but is highly expressed on many common cancers, including brain, breast, lung, head and neck, colon and prostate cancer. We are developing a number of potential therapeutic compounds that act by inhibiting the EGFR in cancer cells. These compounds include a novel monoclonal antibody that binds to EGFR and inhibits its function, and a small molecule that binds to a portion of the EGFR inside cancer cells and also inhibits function. Both of these compounds prevent tumour growth in laboratory studies. This project will examine the mechanisms of action of these compounds, and explore ways to improve their anti-cancer effect. We have also shown that combining these compounds with other therapeutics eg chemotherapy markedly enhances their anti-cancer effect. We will further examine the mechanisms of these effects, and also determine if radiotherapy has additive anti-cancer effects. These studies will provide a basis for improved therapies for cancers overexpressing the EGFR.