Development of primary human NSCLC patient derived xenograft and organoids models as a precision approach to tumor treatment

Abstract A292: Salinomycin, an anti-cancer stem cell antibiotic, overcomes acquired resistance to BRAF inhibitors in BRAF-mutant human melanoma cell lines.

Abstract Advanced malignant melanoma is one of the most lethal cancers, because it is highly metastatic and refractory to conventional chemotherapy. About 60% of melanomas harbor oncogenic BRAF mutations which aberrantly activate MEK/ERK signaling pathway. BRAF and MEK inhibitors have been shown efficacious in patients with BRAF-mutant melanoma, but there is not effective target therapy for BRAF wild type melanomas. Unfortunately acquired resistance to BRAF targeted therapies is a common event: 50% of treated patients progressed within 6 to 7 months after the initiation of treatment. Resistance is associated with reactivation of the MAPK pathway (through development of de novo NRAS, NF1 or …

Abstract LB-099: Metabolic vulnerabilities of mesenchymal-like EGFR-mutant NSCLC cells with acquired resistance to tyrosine kinase inhibitors

Abstract Despite the availability of the effective targeted therapies in lung cancer, such as EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs), drug tolerance and acquired resistance are two common problems that negatively impact lung cancer patient survival. Consequently it is important to understand the molecular basis of the drug tolerance and resistance so that we could formulate effective strategies to ameliorate the efficacy of existing drug and to suppress the emergence of drug resistance. A burgeoning body of literature demonstrated that epigenetic changes by the methylation of DNA and histones are critical in acquired drug resistance, especially in those cancer cells with stem cell-like prop…

Abstract 753: Genomic alterations of autophagy genes disrupts autophagic flux in human lung adenocarcinomas

Abstract Targeted therapy using EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI) is a standard therapy for a subset of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with lung adenocarcinomas (LADs) harboring EGFR kinase domain mutations; however, EGFR TKI therapy shows limited efficacy due to de novo and acquired resistance. Consequently, formulating strategies to potentiate the efficacy of EGFR TKI is of great interest. In EGFR TKI sensitive cells harboring EGFR mutation, it has been shown that EGFR inhibition induces autophagy to protect the cells from metabolic stress. Hydroxychloroquine (HQ), an inhibitor of autophagy, has been shown to potentiate EGFR TKIs in preclinical models, however, preliminary…

Endothelin-1-Mediated Drug Resistance in EGFR-Mutant Non-Small Cell Lung Carcinoma.

Abstract Progression on therapy in non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC) is often evaluated radiographically, however, image-based evaluation of said therapies may not distinguish disease progression due to intrinsic tumor drug resistance or inefficient tumor penetration of the drugs. Here we report that the inhibition of mutated EGFR promotes the secretion of a potent vasoconstrictor, endothelin-1 (EDN1), which continues to increase as the cells become resistant with a mesenchymal phenotype. As EDN1 and its receptor (EDNR) is linked to cancer progression, EDNR-antagonists have been evaluated in several clinical trials with disappointing results. These trials were based on a hypothesis that…