Predictive biomarkers of response to anti-EGF receptor monoclonal antibody therapies. (April 2014)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Kumar, Shalini Sree; Price, Timothy J; Townsend, Amanda R; Hocking, Christopher; Hardingham, Jennifer E
• Is Part Of: Colorectal cancer. Volume 3:Number 2(2014)
• Page Start: 223
• Page End: 232
• Publication Date: 2014-04
• Subjects: Colon (Anatomy) -- Cancer -- Periodicals; Rectum -- Cancer -- Periodicals; 616.994347
• DOI: 10.2217/crc.14.3
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1758-194X

Abstract

SUMMARY : The EGF receptor (EGFR) pathway plays an important role in the progression of several carcinomas, including colorectal cancer (CRC). The EGFR has emerged as a candidate for targeted therapy for CRC. Two monoclonal antibodies used to inhibit the EGFR signaling pathway are cetuximab and panitumumab. Both these monoclonal antibodies inhibit tumor-promoting activities, such as tumor cell proliferation, survival, angiogenesis and metastasis. However, only a subpopulation of metastatic CRC patients responds to such therapy. Constitutive activation within the pathway gives rise to other aberrantly expressed biomarkers that are able to circumvent the anti-EGFR treatment and confer resistance. Mechanisms of resistance and the value of these emerging predictive biomarkers in the clinical setting are discussed in this review.