Tumour micro-environment elicits innate resistance to RAF inhibitors through HGF secretion

Here we explored how normal (non-cancer) cells can modulate the sensitivity of cancer cells to anti-cancer drugs. We found hundreds of cases in which normal cells can protect cancer cells from these drugs. Zooming in on one of these ‘hits’ we demonstrated that by secreting Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF), normal (stromal) cells inside melanoma tumors can render the melanoma tumor cells resistant to a common anti-melanoma drug treatment (BRAF/MEK inhibitors).

Link to paper on PubMed.

As featured in:

• Nature reviews (clinical oncology)
• Nature reviews (cancer)
• Nature medicine
• Nature medicine
• Cancer discovery
• Cell research
• Pigment cell melanoma research
• Science signaling