EGFR and cancer: By combined treatment a compensatory upregulation of the MEK/ERK and the Akt/mTor cascade was abolished and proliferation and survival of platinum-resistant cancer cells was synergistically suppressed confirming the relevance of EGFR and MEK/ERK signalling in therapeutic response.39 It is known that in the case of pharmacological blockage of the EGFR receptor alternative signalling cascades/components become activated as a compensatory mechanism to escape receptor inhibition.