Systems Biology of Lung Cancer – Linking Dynamic Properties of Signaling Networks to Migratory Behavior of Lung Carcinoma Cells in Monolayer Culture

Lung cancer, with its predominant form non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), is the leading cause of cancer related-deaths world-wide. The key medical problem in lung cancer is early systemic spread of tumors independent of tumor size. Activating mutations or overexpression of receptor tyrosine kinases such as epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) receptor (c-Met) are frequently observed. A major unresolved question is how these receptor systems interact and contribute to early spread in lung cancer. To unravel key regulatory mechanisms and to establish a quantitative link of i…