Figure 1: Similarity between breast cancer and hybrid car.
From: Fuel, electricity, ER and HER2—a hybrid-car model of breast cancer
a | In the absence of oestradiol (petrol), PI3K and MAPK pathways (motor and transmission) cause phosphorylation of ER (engine) and activate ER downstream gene expression (transmission). b | Sites of action of various drugs. c | Basic mechanism of action of combination of everolimus (mTOR inhibitor) and exemestane (aromatase inhibitor) in ER-positive breast cancer. Colour of arrows indicates dependency on each 'power source'. Abbreviations: ER, oestrogen receptor; SERD, selective oestrogen receptor downregulator; SERM, selective oestrogen receptor modulator.
