Cetuximab (Erbitux)--an emerging targeted therapy for epidermal growth factor receptor-expressing tumours

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) provides a rational target for cancer therapy as it is commonly over-expressed in a variety of solid rumours, and deregulation of its activity is associated with resistance to chemotherapy and radiotherapy and a poorer prognosis. Cetuximab is a new monoclonal chimeric antibody directed against the EGFR. It has demonstrable activity in a number of tumour types both in combination with chemotherapy and radiotherapy and on its own. The potential to combine chemotherapy and radiotherapy with cetuximab and increase efficacy without significantly increasing toxicity provides an exciting advancement in the treatment of cancers.