What Are the Common Mechanisms of Drug Resistance?
Drug resistance can arise through several mechanisms: 1. Genetic Mutations: Cancer cells can acquire mutations that make them less sensitive to chemotherapy or targeted therapies. 2. Efflux Pumps: Some cancer cells increase the expression of proteins that pump drugs out of the cell, reducing drug concentration inside the cell. 3. DNA Repair: Enhanced DNA repair mechanisms can allow cancer cells to survive despite the presence of DNA-damaging agents. 4. Microenvironment Changes: The tumor microenvironment can become more hostile to drugs by altering factors such as pH and oxygen levels.
