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Development and Maintenance of a Preclinical Patient Derived Tumor Xenograft Model for the Investigation of Novel Anti-Cancer Therapies
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[Inhibitors of epidermal growth factor receptor and colorectal cancer]

Antoine Adenis1, Jean-Philippe Peyrat

  • 1Département de cancérologie digestive et urologique, Centre Oscar-Lambret, BP 307, 59020 Lille. a-adenis@o-lambret.fr

Bulletin Du Cancer
|February 7, 2004
PubMed

Insights

Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R) inhibitors, including small molecules and monoclonal antibodies, show promise in treating metastatic colorectal cancer (CRC). While generally well-tolerated, further randomized studies are needed to confirm their efficacy and safety.

Area of Science:

  • Oncology
  • Molecular Biology
  • Pharmacology

Background:

  • Colorectal cancers (CRC) often express the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGF-R).
  • EGF-R signaling is a crucial pathway in cancer progression.
  • Targeting EGF-R represents a promising therapeutic strategy for CRC.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To review the efficacy and toxicity of EGF-R inhibitors in metastatic CRC.
  • To evaluate small molecule tyrosine kinase inhibitors (ZD1839, OSI-774) and a monoclonal antibody (cetuximab).
  • To assess the safety and potential benefits of combining EGF-R inhibitors with chemotherapy.

Main Methods:

  • Review of clinical data on EGF-R inhibitors in CRC patients.
  • Analysis of treatment-related toxicities for small molecules and monoclonal antibodies.
  • Evaluation of combination therapies with cytotoxic agents like 5-FU, lOHP, and CPT-11.

Main Results:

  • Oral small molecule inhibitors (ZD1839, OSI-774) demonstrated sustained tumor stabilization in pre-treated metastatic CRC patients.
  • Common toxicities for small molecules included fatigue, diarrhea, and rash.
  • Cetuximab showed partial responses alone (10% RR) and with CPT-11 (22% RR) in refractory CRC.
  • Combination of cetuximab with chemotherapy was tolerable, with a slight increase in severe diarrhea and neutropenia.

Conclusions:

  • EGF-R inhibitors, both small molecules and cetuximab, offer a promising therapeutic avenue for metastatic CRC.
  • These agents appear to be generally well-tolerated, with manageable side effects.
  • Further confirmation through randomized clinical trials is essential to establish their definitive role in CRC treatment.

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