Ethyl 2,2-difluoro-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl) acetate attenuates the malignant biological behaviors of non-small cell lung cancer via suppressing EGFR/PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway.

This article investigates the anti-cancer effects of ethyl 2,2-difluoro-2-(2-oxo-2H-chromen-3-yl) acetate (C2F), a novel fluorinated coumarin derivative, on non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The study demonstrates that C2F inhibits NSCLC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, induces cell cycle arrest at G0/G1 phase, and promotes apoptosis in vitro, while also suppressing tumor growth in a xenograft mouse model without significant toxicity. Mechanistically, C2F exerts its effects by downregulating the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and inhibiting the downstream PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway, as supported by network pharmacology, molecular docking, and pathway modulation experiments. These findings suggest that C2F may be a promising candidate for NSCLC therapy, warranting further investigation into its safety, toxicity, and detailed interaction with EGFR.