Panitumumab: a new frontier of target therapy for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer.
Panitumumab is a fully human monoclonal IgG(2) antibody targeting the EGF receptor (EGFR). This agent represents a new class of drug owing to its fully human nature, and no need for premedication and loading dose. Panitumumab selectively binds to EGFR, blocking the extracellular domain of the receptor, and has not been associated with the formation of any antibodies directed against it. The drug is indicated as monotherapy for the treatment of patients with EGFR-expressing metastatic colorectal carcinoma with non-mutated (wild-type) KRAS after failure of fluoropyrimidine-, oxaliplatin- and irinotecan-containing chemotherapy regimens. The safety profile is favorable and is generally well tolerated; the most common toxicities are skin rashes and diarrhea. Therefore, panitumumab's hypersensitivity reaction rate is lower when compared with a chimeric monoclonal antibody such as cetuximab. Panitumumab increases the clinician's repertoire of agents to treat metastatic colorectal carcinoma. The available clinical data are the most promising for a single-agent anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody in this disease at the present time. These new data open different clinical scenarios in metastatic colorectal carcinoma patients and encourage clinicians and basic researchers to investigate new therapeutic approaches for this patient subset.
Addeo
Raffaele
R
Department of Oncology, San Giovanni Di Dio Hospital, ASLNA2 NORD, Via Giovanni XXIII, 80026 Frattaminore, NA, Italy. lelloaddeo@alice.it
Caraglia
Michele
M
Cerbone
Domenico
D
Frega
Nicola
N
Cimmino
Gaetano
G
Abbruzzese
Alberto
A
Del Prete
Salvatore
S
D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology; D016503:Drug Delivery Systems; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors; D006801:Humans; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D000077544:Panitumumab; D011485:Protein Binding; D016896:Treatment Outcome
D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D000077544:Panitumumab; D066246:ErbB Receptors