title: Monoclonal antibodies in gastrointestinal cancers.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Among gastrointestinal cancers, colorectal and gastric neoplasms are the most frequent. The development of new targeted drugs improved the efficacy of systemic therapy in advanced stages of those malignancies.
  
  
  METHODS
  This review highlights the main biological processes implicated in gastrointestinal cancer development and progression, such as angiogenesis and epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signaling pathway. On these bases, anti-EGFR and anti-vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) monoclonal antibodies in colorectal and gastric cancer are discussed. Data about further monoclonal antibodies in development are also reported.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The use of monoclonal antibodies in colorectal and gastric cancers showed the best outcomes when combined with chemotherapy, even though single agent anti-EGFR antibodies seem active in particular setting of metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. It is not well defined whether the addition of anti-VEGF and anti-EGFR to chemotherapy could improve outcome in those patients susceptible to CRC-related metastases resection. Little and conflicting data are available about the role of these drugs in adjuvant setting. Tests are available to select patients with higher probability to get benefit from these treatments. Further biomarkers need to be evaluated to improve this selection and achieve "tailorization" of systemic therapy.
authors: Università di Palermo, Section of Medical Oncology, Department of Surgical and Oncological Sciences, Via del Vespro 129, 90127 Palermo, Italy. antonio.russo@usa.net
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Bronte
authors: Giuseppe
authors: G
authors: Cicero
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Cusenza
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Galvano
authors: Emmanuela
authors: E
authors: Musso
authors: Sergio
authors: S
authors: Rizzo
authors: Giovanni
authors: G
authors: Sortino
authors: Mario
authors: M
authors: Roselli
authors: Viviana
authors: V
authors: Bazan
authors: Eugenio
authors: E
authors: Fiorentino
authors: Antonio
authors: A
authors: Russo
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism; D005770:Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D005820:Genetic Testing; D006801:Humans; D058990:Molecular Targeted Therapy; D018579:Patient Selection; D057285:Precision Medicine; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015398:Signal Transduction / Q000187:drug effects; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A / Q000037:antagonists & inhibitors / Q000235:genetics / Q000276:immunology / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D014408:Biomarkers, Tumor; C467484:VEGFA protein, human; D042461:Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor A; C512478:EGFR protein, human; D066246:ErbB Receptors