FGFRs in breast cancer: expression, downstream effects and possible drug targets

Abstract

In the search of new drugs to treat cancer patients, many targeted therapies are being developed. Fibroblast growth factor receptors (FGFRs) are one of the many molecules that are currently under investigation for their potential as a drug target in breast cancer patients. These receptor tyrosine kinases play a major role in several processes including proliferation, angiogenesis, and migration. Alterations in these basal processes can contribute to the development and progression of tumors. In breast cancer patients, several subgroups of patients have been identified to harbor genetic aberrations in FGFRs. These genetic aberrations include amplifications of FGFR1, -2 and -4, and mutations in FGFR2 and -4. Multiple in vitro and in vivo models have partly elucidated the molecular implications of these different genetic aberrations on the characteristics of the tumors. Based on these results several drug targets have been suggested. For some of these targets drugs have already been developed, which are currently being tested in in vitro and in vivo settings. Future experiments will have to be performed in order to further clarify the molecular implications of the genetic aberrations, to develop and test drugs but also to identify the subgroup of patients that will benefit from these newly developed therapies.