AXL/epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) complexes in breast cancer - culprits for resistance to EGFR inhibitors?

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is highly expressed in triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC), and elevated levels correlate with poor prognosis. In analogy with the paradigm of oncogene addiction, blocking EGFR in TNBC was expected to have clinical efficacy – but this has not been the case. Reasons for these results have remained elusive. Recently, Meyer and colleagues showed interplay between EGFR and the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition-associated AXL receptor in TNBC cells, which might provide some clues.