EGF/ErbB receptor family in ovarian cancer.

In summary, the EGF/ErbB family of receptor tyrosine kinases has been shown to play a key role in normal ovarian follicle development, and cell growth regulation of the ovarian surface epithelium. Disregulation of these normal growth regulatory pathways, including overexpression and/or mutation of EGFR/ErbB receptor family members, as well as elements of their downstream signalling pathways, have been shown to contribute to the etiology and progression of epithelial ovarian cancer. It is, therefore, not surprising that these gene products, and their related soluble receptor isoforms may have clinical utility as tumor and/or serum biomarkers of disease activity. Moreover, since several of these soluble receptor isoforms have potent growth inhibitory activity, and are naturally occurring in the circulation, they are ideal candidates for the development of novel therapeutics for the treatment of ovarian cancer patients.