Evaluating the Potential of SHOC2, CDK3, and EGFR as Drug Target in Lung Cancer through In-Silico Studies

Cancer is listed as one of the main public health concerns. Statistics currently claim that new cancer cases number in India will go up from approximately 1.46 million in 2022 to 1.57 million by 2025. Lung cancer is among the most severe causes of death due to its aggressive nature, late detection, and resistance to standard treatments. Targeting the key molecular pathwaysthat promotethe growth of cancerisrequired forthe generation of successful curative medicines. This study focuses on the drug ability of proteins SHOC2 leucine-rich repeat scaffold protein, cyclin-dependent kinase3 (CDK3), and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) for lung cancer through molecular docking studies. Using ‘PyMOL and HDOCK software’, molecular docking was performed to assess interactions between selected anticancer drugs Osimertinib, Gefitinib, Afatinib, Sorafenib, and Ceritinib. These drugs were selected due to their proven inhibitory effects on cancer-related signalling pathways. The docking results demonstrated varying binding affinities for the three Protein selected, which has strongest binding (-176.45) with Osimertinib, while Gefitinib, Afatinib, Sorafenib, and Ceritinib have less binding affinity (-116.37 to – 165.59). Docking data revealed different binding strengths for the selected drugs, which shows the strong binding interaction with certain target proteins, thus demonstrating a prospect for further development as targeted agents. These findings suggest that SHOC2, CDK3, and EGFR may be viable drug targets for lung cancer treatment. This study provides a computational framework for further in vitro and in vivo validation for drug discovery.