Publication Name	World Journal of Gastrointestinal Oncology
Manuscript ID	120407
DOI	10.4251/wjgo.120407
Country	China

Category	Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Manuscript Type	Opinion Review
Article Title	Beyond a synthetic lethal pair: The atorvastatin-gefitinib combination as a testable model for cross-pillar therapy in colorectal cancer
Manuscript Source	Unsolicited Manuscript
All Author List	Bin Chen, Fan Chen, Lei-Tao Sun, Xin-Lei Zhou and Kai-Bo Guo
Funding Agency and Grant Number
Corresponding Author	Kai-Bo Guo, 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
Key Words	Colorectal cancer; Synthetic lethality; Drug repurposing; Combination therapy; Cancer hallmarks; Sterol regulatory element-binding protein
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.
Citation	Chen B, Chen F, Sun LT, Zhou XL, Guo KB. Beyond a synthetic lethal pair: The atorvastatin-gefitinib combination as a testable model for cross-pillar therapy in colorectal cancer. World J Gastrointest Oncol 2026; In press DOI: https://doi.org/10.4251/wjgo.120407
PDF	120407-in-press.pdf

Received	2026-02-26 01:59
Peer-Review Started	2026-02-26 01:59
First Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-03-20 10:06
Return for Revision	2026-03-20 10:06
Revised	2026-04-03 06:06
Publication Fee Transferred
Second Decision by Editor	2026-06-22 02:38
Second Decision by Editor-in-Chief
Final Decision by Editorial Office Director	2026-06-22 08:27
Articles in Press	2026-06-22 08:27
Edit the Manuscript by Language Editor
Typeset the Manuscript

ISSN	1948-5204 (online)
Open Access	This article is an open-access article that was selected by an in-house editor and fully peer-reviewed by external reviewers. It is distributed in accordance with the Creative Commons Attribution NonCommercial (CC BY-NC 4.0) license, which permits others to distribute, remix, adapt, build upon this work non-commercially, and license their derivative works on different terms, provided the original work is properly cited and the use is non-commercial. See: http://creativecommons.org/Licenses/by-nc/4.0/
Copyright	©Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2026. No commercial re-use. See Permissions. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc.
Permissions	For details, please visit: http://www.wjgnet.com/bpg/gerinfo/207
Publisher	Baishideng Publishing Group Inc, 7041 Koll Center Parkway, Suite 160, Pleasanton, CA 94566, USA
Website	http://www.wjgnet.com