Study IDs Potential Biomarkers for Predicting Skin Toxicity in EGFR Inhibitor Cancer Treatments
A team of researchers, led by Zhibin Yang and Fei Liu, has published a study in Oncotarget exploring potential biomarkers for predicting skin rash in patients treated with Epidermal Growth Factor Inhibitors (EGFRIs). The study, titled 'Association between miRNA signatures in serum samples from epidermal growth factor inhibitor treated patients and skin rash', focuses on microRNAs (miRNAs) in serum samples, a less explored area in this context.
The authors noted that most studies have concentrated on miRNAs expressed in cancer cells or secreted by them, neglecting those associated with skin rash. The study suggests that miR-21, miR-31, and miR-520e expression could serve as treatment-dependent markers for EGFRI-induced skin rash. Dr. Julia Carolin Stingl from The University Hospital of the RWTH Aachen explained that EGFRIs are used to treat various cancers, including non-small-lung-cancer, head-and-neck-cancer, colon-rectal-cancer, and pancreas-cancer.
The study found that miR-21 and miR-520e serum concentrations were negatively correlated with skin rash severity in patients treated with EGFR inhibiting monoclonal antibodies, while miR-31 showed a positive correlation. The authors searched for associations of miRNA expression profiles in serum with the severity of skin rash to identify potential therapy predictive biomarkers. Previous studies have shown a correlation between overall survival and the appearance of a skin rash, used as a biomarker for therapy efficacy. EGFR ligands like epiregulin, amphiregulin, and hepatocyte growth factor were investigated as biomarkers for skin rash and found to be inversely proportional to grades of skin toxicity.
The study, published in Oncotarget, highlights the potential of miR-21, miR-31, and miR-520e as predictive biomarkers for EGFRI-induced skin rash. With approximately 70% of patients treated with EGFRIs experiencing skin rash, understanding and predicting these reactions can significantly improve patient care and treatment outcomes.
