Dual Kinase Inhibitors
Lapatinib, an oral dual kinase inhibitor of epidermal
growth factor and HER2, works intracellularly and prevents
receptor phosphorylation and activation. In a phase II study
in women with refractory advanced or metastatic breast
cancer, lapatinib combined with capecitabine improved
progression-free survival versus capecitabine alone, and the
combination had similar side-effect profiles (Geyer et al.,
2006). The combination of lapatinib plus paclitaxel was superior
to paclitaxel alone in first-line therapy of HER2-positive
metastatic breast cancer, as well as in heavily pretreated
HER2-positive metastatic breast cancer.