EGFR and other members of the EGFR family have been shown to play significant roles in human cancer cell proliferation and therefore present important molecular targets for the treatment of cancer.
EGFR has been found to be expressed and altered in a variety of malignancies and clearly it plays a significant role in tumor development and progression, including cell proliferation, regulation of apoptotic cell death, angiogenesis and metastatic spread.
Epidermal growth factor receptor inhibitors from both the monoclonal antibody and tyrosine kinase inhibitor class have demonstrated clinical activity in the treatment of a broad spectrum of common human malignancies.
Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) is one of the four members of the Human Epidermal Receptor (HER) family and is over-expressed in multiple malignancies.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) mutation is frequently observed in human cancer and contributes to the growth, survival and therapeutic resistance of tumors.
Epidermal growth factor receptor variant III (EGFRvIII) is a constitutively active mutant form of EGFR that is expressed in 40% to 50% of gliomas and several other malignancies.
Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) gene amplification, mutations, and/or aberrant activation are frequent abnormalities in malignant gliomas and other human cancers and have been associated with an aggressive clinical course and a poor therapeutic outcome.
EGFR and other ErbB-family tyrosine kinases are overexpressed in many human tumors, and their aberrant expression and mutational activation is associated with the development, progression and aggressiveness of a number of malignancies.
EGFR function is dysregulated in various malignancies including nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) leading to activation of several signal transduction pathways including K-RAS, PIK3, and STAT3 and STAT5, that promote cell cycle progression, proliferation, invasion, angiogenesis, and inhibit apoptosis.
EGFR gene amplification was detected in 16 of the 32 malignancy grade IV gliomas (glioblastoma) studied (50%), but only in 1 of 30 gliomas of lesser malignancy grade (I-III).