Panitumumab in colon cancer: a review and summary of ongoing trials

Panitumumab is a fully human antibody developed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor receptor (EGFR/HER-1), which is overexpressed in > or = 75% of patients with colorectal cancer. As a fully human antibody, panitumumab can be administered without any premedication and has the promise of decreased infusion reactions. Clinical studies have demonstrated that panitumumab has significant activity as a single agent and improves progression-free survival when compared with best supportive care. It can also be safely combined with standard cytotoxic chemotherapy. Ongoing studies are being performed to determine if the addition of panitumumab to first-line standard treatment for metastatic colorectal cancer will improve the progression-free and overall survival of these patients.