Efficacy of chemotherapy in the treatment of distinct malignancies is often hampered by drug resistance arising in the tumor. Understanding the molecular basis of drug resistance and translating this knowledge into personalized treatment decisions can enhance therapeutic efficacy and even curative outcome. Over the years, multiple drug resistance mechanisms have been identified that enable tumors to cope with the damage instigated by a specific drug or group of anti-tumor agents. Here we provide an overview of the molecular pathways leading to resistance against conventional anti-cancer drugs, with emphasis on the utility of these pathways for rational selection of treatments for individual cancer patients. We further complement the review by discussing the pitfalls and difficulties in translating these findings into novel treatment strategies for cancer patients.

化疗在治疗不同恶性肿瘤中的功效常常受到肿瘤中产生的耐药性的阻碍。了解抗药性的分子基础并将这一知识转化为个性化的治疗决策可以提高治疗效果，甚至可以提高治疗效果。多年来，已经确定了多种耐药机制，这些机制使肿瘤能够应对由特定药物或一组抗肿瘤剂引起的损害。在这里，我们提供了导致对常规抗癌药物产生耐药性的分子途径的概述，重点是这些途径在合理选择个体癌症患者的治疗方法中的实用性。