Investigating Alternative Treatments for EGFR-Driven Cancers

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a transmembrane receptor tyrosine kinase that, under normal functioning, undergoes conformational changes due to phosphorylation and participates in the cell’s proliferation and maintenance. Overexpression of this protein is commonly observed in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, a disease responsible for a high percentage of cancer-related deaths in the United States. EGFR is also a protein that is successfully used as a target for cancer drug treatments. Recently, evidence has suggested herbal treatment options may be a successful alternative to chemotherapy, radiation, and other common cancer treatments. However, there is little molecular understanding of herbal therapies and limited studies on specific cancer mutations in response to the same treatments. This study aims to investigate cell proliferation and migration behavior within WT and L858R EGFR in response to proven herbal medical treatments as a potential treatment route.