1. Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies in cancer treatment.
- Author
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Capdevila J, Elez E, Macarulla T, Ramos FJ, Ruiz-Echarri M, and Tabernero J
- Subjects
- Antibodies, Monoclonal immunology, Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung drug therapy, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung immunology, Carcinoma, Non-Small-Cell Lung mortality, Cetuximab, Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic, Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic, Colorectal Neoplasms drug therapy, Colorectal Neoplasms mortality, Colorectal Neoplasms pathology, Drug Delivery Systems, ErbB Receptors immunology, ErbB Receptors therapeutic use, Female, Head and Neck Neoplasms drug therapy, Head and Neck Neoplasms mortality, Head and Neck Neoplasms pathology, Humans, Lung Neoplasms drug therapy, Lung Neoplasms immunology, Lung Neoplasms mortality, Male, Neoplasm Staging, Neoplasms immunology, Neoplasms mortality, Neovascularization, Pathologic immunology, Panitumumab, Prognosis, Randomized Controlled Trials as Topic, Risk Assessment, Survival Analysis, Treatment Outcome, Antibodies, Monoclonal therapeutic use, ErbB Receptors antagonists & inhibitors, Neoplasms drug therapy, Neovascularization, Pathologic prevention & control
- Abstract
Although the prognosis of cancer remains poor recent advances in the diagnostic methods, new approaches in surgical procedures and the development of new therapeutic agents have had a significant impact in the outcome of cancer patients. A better understanding of the molecular pathways that characterize cell growth, apoptosis, angiogenesis and invasion has provided novel targets in cancer therapy. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mediated signal transduction has been one of the most studied pathways in carcinogenesis. The phosphorylation of EGFR activates multiple biological processes including apoptosis, differentiation, cellular proliferation, motility, invasion, adhesion, DNA repair and survival. Several therapies have been developed to inactivate the EGFR pathway including monoclonal antibodies against the extracellular domain of EGFR. In this review, the authors examine the development of monoclonal antibodies against EGFR and the effects of this blockage in cell cycle, as well as the most important trials with these monoclonal antibodies in several tumor types.
- Published
- 2009
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