Targeted cancer drugs are supposed to be the 'smart bombs' of oncology. Unfortunately, many patients with the correct 'target' don't seem to respond well to the treatments Evidence is accumulating that one reason for the poor results is that there are decoy targets present that are intercepting the drugs before they can reach the cancer cells.
Ane example of a target is the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR). EGFR is altered and causes problems in several cancer types, including lung cancer and colon cancer. The drugs that are used to target this protein are only partially effective. New research shows that there are several proteins that are related to EGFR that may be binding to the drugs and preventing them from reaching their intended targets. The results offer an explanation for treatment failure and may point to ways to avoid the problem.
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