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Review
. 2012 Feb;12(2):107-23.
doi: 10.2174/156800912799095144.

Adding to the mix: fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor pathways as targets in non-small cell lung cancer

Affiliations
Review

Adding to the mix: fibroblast growth factor and platelet-derived growth factor receptor pathways as targets in non-small cell lung cancer

S A Kono et al. Curr Cancer Drug Targets. 2012 Feb.

Abstract

The treatment of advanced non � small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) increasingly involves the use of molecularly targeted therapy with activity against either the tumor directly, or indirectly, through activity against host-derived mechanisms of tumor support such as angiogenesis. The most well studied signaling pathway associated with angiogenesis is the vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathway, and the only antiangiogenic agent currently approved for the treatment of NSCLC is bevacizumab, an antibody targeted against VEGF. More recently, preclinical data supporting the role of fibroblast growth factor receptor (FGFR) and platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) signaling in angiogenesis have been reported. The platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) and fibroblast growth factor (FGF) pathways may also stimulate tumor growth directly through activation of downstream mitogenic signaling cascades. In addition, 1 or both of these pathways have been associated with resistance to agents targeting the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and VEGF. A number of agents that target FGF and/or PDGF signaling are now in development for the treatment of NSCLC. This review will summarize the potential molecular roles of PDGFR and FGFR in tumor growth and angiogenesis, as well as discuss the current clinical status of PDGFR and FGFR inhibitors in clinical development.

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Conflict of interest statement

Potential conflicts of interest Drs Kono, Heasley, Doebele, and Camidge have no potential conflicts of interest to disclose.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1. Schematic of the potential roles of the FGFR and PDGFR pathways in tumor proliferation and angiogenesis
Autocrine and paracrine signaling of the FGF and PDGF pathways may contribute to tumor proliferation (A) and angiogenesis (B). (A) Activation of FGFR and PDGFR from ligands expressed by tumor cells or other tissues results in stimulation of mitogenic downstream cascades. (B) Similarly, PDGF secreted from endothelial cells may recruit pericytes necessary for angiogenesis through paracrine signaling. In addition, activation of FGFR on endothelial cells results in cellular proliferation and increased angiogenesis. FGF, fibroblast growth factor; FGFR, fibroblast growth factor receptor; PDGF, platelet-derived growth factor; PDGFR, platelet-derived growth factor receptor.
Figure 2
Figure 2. Molecular targets of the investigational multitargeted TKIs being studied in NSCLC and PDGFR- and FGFR-specific agents in earlier clinical development
Illustration depicting targeted inhibition of the VEGF, PDGF, and FGF pathways by monoclonal antibodies and TKIs. FGF, fibroblast growth factor; FGFR, fibroblast growth factor receptor; PDGF, platelet-derived growth factor; PDGFR, platelet-derived growth factor receptor; TKIs, tyrosine kinase inhibitors; VEGF, vascular endothelial growth factor; VEGFR, vascular endothelial growth factor receptor.

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