title: Panitumumab : leading to better overall survival in metastatic colorectal cancer?
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Survival of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients has improved greatly over the past few years, essentially due to the appearance of new biological therapies. Among these new therapies, monoclonal antibodies targeting the EGFR are the leading contributors to the so-called personalized medicine. Biomarkers within the EGFR pathway, such as K-Ras mutation, have proved to help better select the patients benefiting from these treatments.
  
  
  METHODS
  Panitumumab is a fully human monoclonal antibody that targets the EGFR and is currently approved in combination with chemotherapy or in monotherapy for the treatment of mCRC patients. Following a description of the pharmacological and tolerability data, this review focuses on the clinical activity of panitumumab through the description of clinical trials and biomarker research.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Recent biomarker research with expanded Ras testing has led to an improvement in overall survival for all Ras wild-type patients treated with panitumumab. Furthermore, the thorough evaluation of markers within the EGFR pathway could potentially prevent detrimental effects for patients treated with panitumumab and avoid unnecessary toxicity and costs.
authors.affiliation: University of Southern California, Keck School of Medicine, Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, Division of Medical Oncology , 1441 Eastlake Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90033 , USA +1 323 865 3967 ; +1 323 865 0061 ; LENZ@usc.edu.
authors.forename: Ana
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sebio
authors.forename: Sebastian
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stintzing
authors.forename: Stefan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stremitzer
authors.forename: Wu
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zhang
authors.forename: Heinz-Josef
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lenz
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism; D017321:Clinical Trials, Phase I as Topic; D017322:Clinical Trials, Phase II as Topic; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D015179:Colorectal Neoplasms / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000473:pathology*; D066246:ErbB Receptors / Q000187:drug effects / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D000077544:Panitumumab
chemical_list: D000911:Antibodies, Monoclonal; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D000077544:Panitumumab; D066246:ErbB Receptors