Kim Seungwon, Grandis Jennifer R, Rinaldo Alessandra, Takes Robert P, Ferlito Alfio
Department of Otolaryngology, University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA.
Head Neck. 2008 May;30(5):667-74. doi: 10.1002/hed.20859.
The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) has been shown to be a promising therapeutic target in head and neck cancer. Cetuximab, a monoclonal antibody against EGFR, has been approved in the United States for use with radiotherapy for head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. However, the role of EGFR targeting agents in other therapeutic modalities, such as combined chemoradiotherapy or induction chemotherapy, remains to be defined. Although results from several clinical trials have demonstrated the therapeutic potentials of EGFR targeting agents in these settings, further studies are necessary before definitive conclusions can be made. The concurrent targeting of EGFR along with other pathways important in carcinogenesis may hold significant therapeutic potential. In particular, several clinical trials are studying the effects of combining agents that target the vascular endothelial growth factor with EGFR inhibitors. Last, studies are ongoing to elucidate the predictive and correlative biomarkers in anti-EGFR therapy to allow for proper patient selection. In the case of cetuximab, these correlative biomarkers may include elements of the immune system in addition to the signal transduction proteins involved in EGFR pathway.
表皮生长因子受体（EGFR）已被证明是头颈癌中一个很有前景的治疗靶点。西妥昔单抗是一种抗EGFR的单克隆抗体，在美国已被批准与放疗联合用于治疗头颈部鳞状细胞癌。然而，EGFR靶向药物在其他治疗方式中的作用，如联合放化疗或诱导化疗，仍有待明确。尽管几项临床试验的结果已证明EGFR靶向药物在这些情况下的治疗潜力，但在得出明确结论之前仍需进一步研究。同时靶向EGFR以及在致癌过程中起重要作用的其他通路可能具有显著的治疗潜力。特别是，几项临床试验正在研究将靶向血管内皮生长因子的药物与EGFR抑制剂联合使用的效果。最后，正在进行研究以阐明抗EGFR治疗中的预测性和相关性生物标志物，以便进行恰当的患者选择。就西妥昔单抗而言，这些相关性生物标志物除了包括EGFR通路中涉及的信号转导蛋白外，还可能包括免疫系统的成分。
