title: Her signaling in pancreatic cancer.
abstract: Pancreatic cancer remains a treatment-refractory cancer. Standard therapy for metastatic cancer is gemcitabine chemotherapy, with a median survival of 5-6 months. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is commonly expressed in pancreatic cancer and has been evaluated as a therapeutic target. A Phase III trial of gemcitabine with or without the EGFR inhibitor, erlotinib, demonstrated a modest but significant prolongation of survival with the addition of erlotinib. A Phase II trial of gemcitabine with the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab resulted in a 1-year survival of 32%. A Phase III trial of gemcitabine with or without cetuximab and a randomized Phase II trial of the Murren regimen with or without cetuximab are completed; results for both are anticipated in 2007. A Phase I trial of gemcitabine with the EGFR/Her-2 inhibitor, lapatinib, is completed. Improved patient selection and rational combination of targeted therapies will be necessary to optimize the management of patients with this tragic disease.
authors.affiliation: Fox Chase Cancer Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Division of Medical Science, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA. barbara.burtness@fccc.edu
authors.forename: Barbara
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Burtness
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000068818:Cetuximab; D003841:Deoxycytidine / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor / Q000378:metabolism*; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D006801:Humans; D000077341:Lapatinib; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds / Q000008:administration & dosage; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D010190:Pancreatic Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000401:mortality; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors / Q000008:administration & dosage; D011799:Quinazolines / Q000008:administration & dosage; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors* / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D000093542:Gemcitabine
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000964:Antimetabolites, Antineoplastic; D000068818:Cetuximab; D003841:Deoxycytidine; D004815:Epidermal Growth Factor; D000069347:Erlotinib Hydrochloride; D000077341:Lapatinib; D009944:Organoplatinum Compounds; D000077150:Oxaliplatin; D047428:Protein Kinase Inhibitors; D011799:Quinazolines; D018719:Erb-b2 Receptor Tyrosine Kinases; D000093542:Gemcitabine