One of the most well-studied forms of dependency in cancer is known as oncogene addiction. Cancer cells often become highly dependent on one or a few hyperactive oncogenes for their proliferation and survival. Targeting these oncogenes can lead to dramatic responses in cancer treatment. For example, many non-small cell lung cancers are dependent on the oncogene EGFR. Inhibitors targeting EGFR have shown significant effectiveness in treating these cancers.
