title: Cetuximab in metastatic colorectal cancer.
abstract: Management of metastatic colorectal cancer has evolved in the last 10 years, with the availability of targeted therapies resulting in improvement in quality of life and overall survival. Cetuximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that binds to the EGF receptor, and the net effects are inhibition of tumor growth, invasion, angiogenesis and metastasis. Cetuximab binding to the EGF receptor is also known to augment the effects of chemotherapy and radiotherapy. Only tumors expressing wild-type KRAS respond to cetuximab and improvements in progression-free survival and overall survival are seen, whereas patients with mutant KRAS are considered to be resistant. Cetuximab is currently available worldwide for use as monotherapy or in combination with chemotherapy in first-, second- or third-line settings in metastatic colorectal cancer patients with wild-type KRAS.
authors.affiliation: The Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Discipline of Medicine University of Adelaide, 28 Woodville Road, Woodville South, SA 5011, Australia.
authors.forename: Vy Tuong
authors.initials: VT
authors.lastname: Broadbridge
authors.forename: Cristos S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Karapetis
authors.forename: Timothy Jay
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Price
mesh_terms: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000971:Antineoplastic Combined Chemotherapy Protocols / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D002166:Camptothecin / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000031:analogs & derivatives / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000068818:Cetuximab; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors*; D006801:Humans; D000077146:Irinotecan; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000556:secondary; D009154:Mutation; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D018631:ras Proteins / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D061067:Antibodies, Monoclonal, Humanized; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; C117307:KRAS protein, human; D011518:Proto-Oncogene Proteins; D000077146:Irinotecan; D066246:ErbB Receptors; D016283:Proto-Oncogene Proteins p21(ras); D018631:ras Proteins; D000068818:Cetuximab; D002166:Camptothecin