important (though complicated) paper by Dr. Slamon et al on herceptin/tykerb

[Lani]

resisitance and why to combine the two. Has to do with cell lines rather than people at this point, but shows how they are getting to understand better which agent(s) best

Mol Cancer Ther. 2010 May 25. [Epub ahead of print]
Activated Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase/AKT Signaling Confers Resistance to Trastuzumab but not Lapatinib.
O'Brien NA, Browne BC, Chow L, Wang Y, Ginther C, Arboleda J, Duffy MJ, Crown J, O'Donovan N, Slamon DJ.

Authors' Affiliations: 1Division of Hematology-Oncology, Department of Medicine, David Geffen School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, Los Angeles, California; and 2National Institute for Cellular Biotechnology, Dublin City University and 3Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, St. Vincent's University Hospital, Dublin 4 and UCD School of Medicine and Medical Science, Conway Institute, University College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland.
Abstract
Trastuzumab and lapatinib provide clinical benefit to women with human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER)-positive breast cancer. However, not all patients whose tumors contain the HER2 alteration respond. Consequently, there is an urgent need to identify new predictive factors for these agents. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of receptor tyrosine kinase signaling and phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/AKT pathway activation in conferring resistance to trastuzumab and lapatinib. To address this question, we evaluated response to trastuzumab and lapatinib in a panel of 18 HER2-amplified cell lines, using both two- and three-dimensional culture. The SUM-225, HCC-1419, HCC-1954, UACC-893, HCC-1569, UACC-732, JIMT-1, and MDA-453 cell lines were found to be innately resistant to trastuzumab, whereas the MDA-361, MDA-453, HCC-1569, UACC-732, JIMT-1, HCC-202, and UACC-893 cells are innately lapatinib resistant. Lapatinib was active in de novo (SUM-225, HCC-1419, and HCC-1954) and in a BT-474 cell line with acquired resistance to trastuzumab. In these cells, trastuzumab had little effect on AKT phosphorylation, whereas lapatinib retained activity through the dephosphorylation of AKT. Increased phosphorylation of HER2, epidermal growth factor receptor, HER3, and insulin-like growth factor IR correlated with response to lapatinib but not trastuzumab. Loss of PTEN or the presence of activating mutations in PI3K marked resistance to trastuzumab, but lapatinib response was independent of these factors. Thus, increased activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway correlates with resistance to trastuzumab, which can be overcome by lapatinib. In conclusion, pharmacologic targeting of the PI3K/AKT pathway may provide benefit to HER2-positive breast cancer patients who are resistant to trastuzumab therapy. Mol Cancer Ther; 9(6); OF1-14. (c)2010 AACR.

PMID: 20501798

[Jackie07]

To me, the main point of the article (research) is 'increased activation of the PI3K/AKT pathway correlates with resistance to trastuzumab, which can be overcome by lapatinib.'

The effectiveness of Tykerb in treating Her2+ BC has been known for a while. I think the researchers are just trying to figure out exactly 'why' and thus apply the treatment to patients more effectively/efficiently.

Just happy to know that we now have at least two 'lethal weapons' for the stubborn Her2 Breast Cancer.

[vlcarr]

I feel so fortunate that I was able to get herceptin and tykerb. Feel triple blessed that it worked so well at shrinking my tumor prior to surgery.

[bejuce]

Same here. I got Tykerb daily for 12 weeks prior to surgery and my huge tumor melted down completely in the breast tissue... Just had scattered cells left in the lymph nodes here and there...