Research Progress on Resistance Mechanisms of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitors in Non-small Cell Lung Cancer

With a greater understanding of tumor biology, novel molecular-targeted strategies that block cancer progression pathways have been evaluated as a new therapeutic approach for treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), such as gefitinib and erlotinib, show favorable response to EGFR mutant lung cancer in some populations of NSCLC patients. However, the efficacy of EGFR-TKIs is limited by either primary (de novo) or acquired resistance after therapy. This review will focus on recently identified mechanisms of primary and acquired resistance to EGFR TKIs and strategies currently being employed to overcome resistance.