Abstract
The prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is extremely poor, and current systemic therapies provide marginal survival benefits for treated patients. The era of targeted therapies has offered a new avenue to search for potentially more effective strategies. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the erbB/human epidermal growth factor receptor family of tyrosine kinases, which includes erbB2/HER2, erbB3/HER3 and erbB4/HER4. Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression may be detected in up to 90% of pancreatic tumors. Two pharmacologic approaches have been successfully used to inhibit epidermal growth factor receptor function in cancer treatment: neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and small molecule tyrosine inhibitors. The randomized trials studying the addition of EGFR targeted agents to gemcitabine compared with gemcitabine alone have been disappointing, although results with the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib were statistically significant but clinically of marginal benefit. In this article, we review the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling network in pancreatic cancer, the strategies to increase the effectiveness of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, and the clinical trials of these inhibitors in pancreatic cancer.
Keywords: Pancreatic cancer, EGFR-targeted therapy, cetuximab, erlotinib, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, signaling disorder, onconeogenesis, clinical trials, EGFR, mutations
Current Drug Targets
Title:Targeting EGFR in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment
Volume: 13 Issue: 6
Author(s): T. Troiani, E. Martinelli, A. Capasso, F. Morgillo, Michele Orditura, F. De Vita and F. Ciardiello
Affiliation:
Keywords: Pancreatic cancer, EGFR-targeted therapy, cetuximab, erlotinib, chemotherapy, targeted therapy, signaling disorder, onconeogenesis, clinical trials, EGFR, mutations
Abstract: The prognosis of patients with pancreatic cancer is extremely poor, and current systemic therapies provide marginal survival benefits for treated patients. The era of targeted therapies has offered a new avenue to search for potentially more effective strategies. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a member of the erbB/human epidermal growth factor receptor family of tyrosine kinases, which includes erbB2/HER2, erbB3/HER3 and erbB4/HER4. Epidermal growth factor receptor overexpression may be detected in up to 90% of pancreatic tumors. Two pharmacologic approaches have been successfully used to inhibit epidermal growth factor receptor function in cancer treatment: neutralizing monoclonal antibodies and small molecule tyrosine inhibitors. The randomized trials studying the addition of EGFR targeted agents to gemcitabine compared with gemcitabine alone have been disappointing, although results with the EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor erlotinib were statistically significant but clinically of marginal benefit. In this article, we review the epidermal growth factor receptor signaling network in pancreatic cancer, the strategies to increase the effectiveness of epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors, and the clinical trials of these inhibitors in pancreatic cancer.
Export Options
About this article
Cite this article as:
Troiani T., Martinelli E., Capasso A., Morgillo F., Orditura Michele, De Vita F. and Ciardiello F., Targeting EGFR in Pancreatic Cancer Treatment, Current Drug Targets 2012; 13 (6) . https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012800564158
DOI https://dx.doi.org/10.2174/138945012800564158 |
Print ISSN 1389-4501 |
Publisher Name Bentham Science Publisher |
Online ISSN 1873-5592 |
Call for Papers in Thematic Issues
New drug therapy for eye diseases
Eyesight is one of the most critical senses, accounting for over 80% of our perceptions. Our quality of life might be significantly affected by eye disease, including glaucoma, diabetic retinopathy, dry eye, etc. Although the development of microinvasive ocular surgery reduces surgical complications and improves overall outcomes, medication therapy is ...read more
- Author Guidelines
- Graphical Abstracts
- Fabricating and Stating False Information
- Research Misconduct
- Post Publication Discussions and Corrections
- Publishing Ethics and Rectitude
- Increase Visibility of Your Article
- Archiving Policies
- Peer Review Workflow
- Order Your Article Before Print
- Promote Your Article
- Manuscript Transfer Facility
- Editorial Policies
- Allegations from Whistleblowers
Related Articles
-
Membrane Domains and the “Lipid Raft” Concept
Current Medicinal Chemistry Peroxisome Proliferator-Activated Receptor-γ and Its Ligands in the Treatment of Tumors in the Nervous System
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy Roles of TRAF6 in Central Nervous System
Current Neuropharmacology Advances in Cancer Stem Cell Therapy: Targets and Treatments
Recent Patents on Regenerative Medicine Focal Adhesion Kinase as a Cancer Therapy Target
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry Toll-Like Receptors: Cost or Benefit for Cancer?
Current Pharmaceutical Design Natural Products as Anti-Cancerous Therapeutic Molecules Targeted towards Topoisomerases
Current Protein & Peptide Science Retinoid Related Molecules an Emerging Class of Apoptotic Agents with Promising Therapeutic Potential in Oncology: Pharmacological Activity and Mechanisms of Action
Current Pharmaceutical Design The Interactions of Anti-Cancer Drugs Approved in the Last Decade in the United States with Membrane Transporters
Anti-Cancer Agents in Medicinal Chemistry The Plasma Levels of hsa-miR-19b-3p, hsa-miR-125b-5p, and hsamiR- 320c in Patients with Asthma, COPD and Asthma-COPD Overlap Syndrome (ACOS)
MicroRNA Application of Recombinant and Non-Recombinant Peptides in the Determination of Tumor Response to Cancer Therapy
Current Pharmaceutical Biotechnology Development of Novel Therapeutics Targeting Isocitrate Dehydrogenase Mutations in Cancer
Current Topics in Medicinal Chemistry Metformin and Energy Metabolism in Breast Cancer: From Insulin Physiology to Tumour-initiating Stem Cells
Current Molecular Medicine Multifunctional Radiolabeled Nanoparticles for Targeted Therapy
Current Medicinal Chemistry Application of Mesenchymal Stem Cells in the Targeted Gene Therapy for Gastric Cancer
Current Stem Cell Research & Therapy LGI1 Affects Survival of Neuroblastoma Cells by Inhibiting Signalling through Phosphoinositide 3-Kinase
Current Signal Transduction Therapy Carboranylporphyrins for Boron Neutron Capture Therapy of Cancer
Current Medicinal Chemistry - Anti-Cancer Agents PET/MR Tomographs: A Review with Technical, Radiochemical and Clinical Perspectives
Current Radiopharmaceuticals Obesity and Inflammation: Colorectal Cancer Engines
Current Molecular Pharmacology Near Infrared Receptor-Targeted Nanoprobes for Early Diagnosis of Cancers
Current Medicinal Chemistry