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Semin Respir Crit Care Med 2004; 25: 33-43
DOI: 10.1055/s-2004-829643
Copyright © 2004 by Thieme Medical Publishers, Inc., 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.

Rationale for Investigation of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors in Definitive Treatment of Locally Advanced Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer and Head and Neck Cancer

Hak Choy1 , Dong Wook Kim2
  • 1Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern, Dallas, Texas
  • 2Department of Radiation Oncology, Vanderbilt University Medical Center, Nashville, Tennessee
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Publication History

Publication Date:
22 June 2004 (online)

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Designing targeted therapies has become an important field in cancer therapeutics. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a molecular target that has gained immense attention as preclinical and clinical studies have supported its potential role for therapy of a variety of cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and head and neck (HN) cancer. Several compounds that specifically inhibit EGFR have been developed, including ZD1839, C225, and OSI-774. Interestingly, studies suggesting a potential role for EGFR inhibitors as an adjunct to the current combined-modality approach for therapy of NSCLC and HN cancer have been performed in the preclinical and clinical setting. Therefore, determining the potential of EGFR inhibitors to improve the efficacy of standard combined-modality regimens (chemotherapy/radiation therapy ± surgery) for NSCLC and HN cancer patients is of the utmost importance. An overview of the rationale and the ongoing/proposed studies aimed at determining the role for EGFR inhibitors in combination with radiation therapy for NSCLC and HN cancer patients will be presented.

KEYWORDS

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) - head and neck cancer - epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) - tyrosine kinase inhibitor - ZD1839 - OSI-774 - C225

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Hak ChoyM.D. 

Department of Radiation Oncology, The University of Texas Southwestern

5801 Forest Park Rd.

Dallas, TX 75390-9183

Email: Hak.Choy@UTSouthwestern.edu