Combined treatment with an EGFR kinase inhibitor and an agent that sensitizes tumor cells to the effects of EGFR kinase inhibitors

The present invention provides a method for treating tumors or tumor metastases in a patient, comprising administering to said patient simultaneously or sequentially a therapeutically effective amount of a combination of an EGFR kinase inhibitor and an agent that sensitizes tumor cells to the effects of EGFR kinase inhibitors, wherein said agent is an mTOR inhibitor that binds to and directly inhibits both mTORC1 and mTORC2 kinases. The present invention also provides a pharmaceutical composition comprising an EGFR kinase inhibitor and an mTOR inhibitor that binds to and directly inhibits both mTORC1 and mTORC2 kinases, in a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier. A preferred example of an EGFR kinase inhibitor that can be used in practicing the methods of this invention is the compound erlotinib HC1 (also known as TARCEVA®).