Pyrotinib enhances the radiosensitivity of HER2-overexpressing gastric and breast cancer cells

The overexpression or amplification of HER2 has been observed in a significant proportion of both gastric cancer (GC) and breast cancer (BC) cases. Pyrotinib is an irreversible dual (EGFR/HER2) tyrosine kinase inhibitor (TKI), newly evaluated for the treatment of HER2-overexpressing cancer types. As radiotherapy (RT) serves a crucial role in controlling the local recurrence of GC and BC, the present study investigated the impact of pyrotinib on the irradiation response. The current results demonstrated that pyrotinib enhanced the radiosensitivity of HER2-overexpressing GC and BC cells in vitro and in vivo. In both NCI-N87 and SKBR3 cells, pyrotinib suppressed the irradiation-induced HER2 nuclear transport. Furthermore, pyrotinib increased DNA damage induced by irradiation in both cancer cell lines. Pyrotinib also enhanced the cytotoxicity of docetaxel, which may provide a novel strategy for potential drug combinations. Thus, pyrotinib is a promising irradiation sensitizer in patients with HER2-overexpressing GC and BC. The present results provide a theoretical foundation for further clinical evaluation of pyrotinib.