Skip to main content
. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2011 Jul 1.
Published in final edited form as: Semin Radiat Oncol. 2010 Jul;20(3):156–163. doi: 10.1016/j.semradonc.2010.01.003

Figure 1. Signal transduction pathways in non-small cell lung cancer.

Figure 1

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) activation, which often occurs in NSCLC, leads to upregulation of the PI3K/Akt pathway as well as the Raf/MEK/ERk kinase pathway. Akt pathway activation has been implicated in both resistance of cells to radiation-induced killing and in increased expression of hypoxia-inducible factor-1 (HIF-1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). A number of drugs that can inhibit various points along these pathways have been shown in pre-clinical models to increase the radiation responsiveness of tumors.