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Environment-mediated drug resistance: a major contributor to minimal residual disease

Nature Reviews Cancer volume 9, pages 665–674 (2009)Cite this article

Abstract

Environment-mediated drug resistance is a form of de novo drug resistance that protects tumour cells from the initial effects of diverse therapies. Surviving foci of residual disease can then develop complex and permanent acquired resistance in response to the selective pressure of therapy. Recent evidence indicates that environment-mediated drug resistance arises from an adaptive, reciprocal signalling dialogue between tumour cells and the surrounding microenvironment. We propose that new therapeutic strategies targeting this interaction should be applied during initial treatment to prevent the emergence of acquired resistance.

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Figure 1: Tumour–stroma communication is the basis of EMDR.
Figure 2: EMDR contributes to MRD and acquired drug resistance.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Mark B. Meads and William S. Dalton are at the Department of Experimental Therapeutics and Oncologic Sciences, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida 33612, USA.,

    Mark B. Meads & William S. Dalton

  2. Robert A. Gatenby is at the Department of Radiology and Integrated Mathematical Oncology, H. Lee Moffitt Cancer Center, Florida 33612, USA.,

    Robert A. Gatenby

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DATABASES

National Cancer Institute Drug Dictionary 

bortezomib

cytarabine

cytosine arabinoside

dexamethasone

melphalan

prednisone

simvastatin

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Meads, M., Gatenby, R. & Dalton, W. Environment-mediated drug resistance: a major contributor to minimal residual disease. Nat Rev Cancer 9, 665–674 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1038/nrc2714

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