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World J Gastrointest Oncol. Nov 15, 2026; 18(11): 120407
Published online Nov 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.120407
Published online Nov 15, 2026. doi: 10.4251/wjgo.120407
Beyond a synthetic lethal pair: The atorvastatin-gefitinib combination as a testable model for cross-pillar therapy in colorectal cancer
Bin Chen, School of Medical Technology and Information Engineering, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Fan Chen, Lei-Tao Sun, The First Affiliated Hospital of Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Zhejiang Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Xin-Lei Zhou, The Third Clinical Medical School, The Rehabilitation Medical School, Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, Hangzhou 310053, Zhejiang Province, China
Kai-Bo Guo, Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China
Co-first authors: Bin Chen and Fan Chen.
Co-corresponding authors: Xin-Lei Zhou and Kai-Bo Guo.
Author contributions: Chen B and Chen F contributed to writing original draft as co-first authors; Sun LT, Zhou XL, and Guo KB contributed to writing-review & editing; Zhou XL and Guo KB made equal contributions as co-corresponding authors. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Conflict-of-interest statement: All the authors report no relevant conflicts of interest for this article.
Corresponding author: Kai-Bo Guo, MD, PhD, Department of Oncology, Affiliated Hangzhou First People’s Hospital, School of Medicine, Westlake University, No. 261 Huansha Road, Hangzhou 310006, Zhejiang Province, China. guokaibo@zcmu.edu.cn
Received: February 26, 2026
Revised: April 3, 2026
Accepted: June 22, 2026
Published online: November 15, 2026
Processing time: 241 Days and 6.9 Hours
Revised: April 3, 2026
Accepted: June 22, 2026
Published online: November 15, 2026
Processing time: 241 Days and 6.9 Hours
Core Tip
Core Tip: The combination of atorvastatin and gefitinib may offer a colorectal cancer-centered cross-pillar therapeutic model that links complementary cancer hallmarks. A framework centered on sterol regulatory element-binding protein family members as integrative hubs linking oncogenic signaling to metabolic reprogramming may provide a mechanistic basis to rationalize the design of synergistic combination therapies. Although this testable model is currently supported mainly by preclinical evidence, it requires robust validation by multifactorial studies, patient-derived models, and biomarker-driven clinical trials.