Anti-EGFR strategies as an incremental step for the treatment of colorectal cancer patients: moving from scientific evidence to clinical practice

Abstract

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a 170,000 Da transmembrane glycoprotein involved in signalling pathways affecting cellular growth, differentiation and proliferation. An abnormal overexpression of the EGFR has been described in many human tumours and implicated in the development and prognosis of malignancies, thus representing not only a possible prognostic marker, but primarily a rational molecular target for a new class of anticancer agents. Several clinical trials have been reported with the use of EGFR-targeted monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine kinase inhibitors, mainly in combination with chemotherapy for advanced colorectal cancer patients. Taken together, results available so far suggest that anti-EGFR treatment strategies represent an incremental step for the the treatment of colorectal cencer patients with a manageable and acceptable toxicity profile. Nevertheless, many critical issues are yet unresolved, such as the optimal chemotherapy regimen to combine with anti-EGFR treatment and the most adequate patients setting. Moreover, the biological selection of colorectal tumours most likely to benefit from this treatment approach is still to be defined.

Keywords::

• epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)
• monoclonal antibody
• tyrosine kinase inhibitor