Researchers led by Dr Silke Kaulfuß at the Institute of Human Genetics Göttingen have uncovered a new approach that may increase the efficacy of the standard therapy to treat colorectal cancer (CRC). CRC is one of the most common cancers worldwide and is treated by various combinations of surgery, radiation and chemotherapy. Innovative therapeutic approaches also use substances that selectively target tumor-specific features in order to inhibit the growth of tumor cells.

In their experiments in cell cultures and a mouse model, the researchers used small molecule inhibitors specifically blocking two receptor tyrosine kinases, insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor (IGF1R) and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), and evaluated their effect when they are simultaneously applied in addition to radiation and chemotherapy. These investigations showed that combined inhibition of IGF1R and EGFR in vitro resulted in a stronger reduction of downstream signaling, impairment of DNA repair and induction of apoptosis in tumor cells. This suggests a promising new strategy to treat CRC that might be used in addition to radiochemotherapy.

The results of the study have been published in Cancer Letters.

Simultaneous inhibition of IGF1R and EGFR enhances the efficacy of standard treatment for colorectal cancer by the impairment of DNA repair and the induction of cell death
Oberthür R, Seemann H, Gehrig J, Rave-Fränk M, Bremmer F, Halpape R, Conradi LC, Scharf JG, Burfeind P, Kaulfuß S.
Cancer Lett. 2017 Aug 18;407:93-105. doi: 10.1016/j.canlet.2017.08.009. [Epub ahead of print]