A form of lung cancer, which is found in about 10%–15% of Western patients and 40%–50% of Asian patients, is driven by a mutation in the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene. Gefitinib is a go-to drug that shuts down this protein's signals.
However, over time, cancer cells develop resistance to the drug and keep dividing even while treatment is underway, rendering gefitinib powerless. A recent study published in PLOS One has found a way out of this resistance trap.