Epithelial growth factor receptor interacting agents

The epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) and its ligands are present in the majority of human tumors and are believed to play a role in their clinical behavior. A series of preclinical studies demonstrated that monoclonal antibodies directed at the EGFR and inhibitors of the tyrosine kinase (TK) activity of the receptor can suppress the growth of EGFR-expressing cancer cells. For these reasons, EGFR-interacting agents moved to the clinic at the end of the last decade. There is now clinical evidence of antitumor activity of the TK inhibitors ZD1839 and OSI-774 against several tumor types and of the ability of the monoclonal antibody IMC-C225 to reverse clinical chemotherapy resistance. These results are complemented by an emerging number of compounds, monoclonal antibodies, and TK inhibitors directed at the EGFR that are in clinical development. These findings observed with different agents and in different tumor types validate EGFR as a target for cancer therapy. The results of ongoing studies with these agents in diverse indications and tumor types will help to establish the role of these therapies within our current cancer treatments.