Melanoma-associated antigen A11 reduces erlotinib and afatinib efficacy in head and neck cancer

Melanoma-associated antigen A (MAGE-A) proteins are members of the cancer/testis antigens (CTA), and the expression of these proteins is almost exclusively limited to malignant cells, making them an attractive treatment target. MAGE-A expression is correlated with poor overall survival in several cancers, including head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Among others, MAGE-A11 was found to be associated with resistance to different antineoplastic and targeted compounds, such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs).

Source: Journal of Cranio-Maxillofacial Surgery - December 23, 2017 Category: ENT & OMF Authors: Stefan Hartmann, Leonie Zwick, Katja Maurus, Andreas R. Fuchs, Roman C. Brands, Axel Seher, Alexander C. K übler, Urs D.A. Müller-Richter Source Type: research