Combined Use of Protein Kinase Inhibitors and Targeted Proteins in Cancer Therapy: New Broad Prospects for Cancer Treatment

Malignant tumors constitute a formidable global health challenge. Their high incidence and mortality have spurred the development of clinically safer and more effective novel therapeutics. Although treatments such as chemotherapy are widely used in clinical practice, their significant side effects greatly limit the treatment of cancer. The advent of molecular targeted therapy has ushered in a new era in cancer treatment and management. In the field of cancer treatment, PKN usually refers to protein kinase inhibitors, while TPD refers to targeted protein degradation technology.Protein kinase inhibitors(PKIs)are crucial for the treatment of cancer. However, these drugs often lose effectiveness as cancers develop resistance.Combining protein kinase inhibitors(PKIs)with targeted protein degradation(TPD)is a novel therapeutic approach. Through a systematic review of literature categorized into four thematic areas—'New therapeutic paradigms of protein kinase inhibitors,' 'Combination targeting of TPD and kinase inhibitors in cancer treatment,' 'Protein degradation,' and 'Cancer therapy'—the approaches and experiences in cancer treatment are summarized to explore the feasibility of combining PKN and TPD for cancer therapy. This article also explains how using PKIs and TPD together can achieve better outcomes than using either drug alone. For instance, in scenarios where tumors acquire alternative oncogenic signaling pathways or undergo target alterations, the combinatorial regimen exerts a more potent anti-tumor effect than either monotherapy alone.