Abstract
The epithelial growth factor receptor (EGFR) family of receptor tyrosine kinases has been reported to have an active role in a number of malignancies. Amplifications and overexpression of various EGFR family members, including EGFR, Her2, and ErbB3, have been reported in epithelial ovarian cancer. Although anti-EGFR-targeted therapy has shown limited clinical activity in ovarian cancer to date, a recent report suggests that activation of ErbB3, one of the members of the EGFR family, may support the growth and proliferation of ovarian cancer cells and that ErbB3 may therefore serve as a potential therapeutic target in this disease. Here, we review the EGFR family and the clinical experience with anti-EGFR family member-directed therapies in ovarian cancer to date.
MeSH terms
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Carcinoma, Ovarian Epithelial
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ErbB Receptors / antagonists & inhibitors*
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ErbB Receptors / chemistry
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ErbB Receptors / genetics
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ErbB Receptors / metabolism
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ErbB Receptors / physiology
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Female
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Humans
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Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods*
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Multigene Family* / physiology
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Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / drug therapy
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Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / genetics
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Neoplasms, Glandular and Epithelial / metabolism
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Ovarian Neoplasms / drug therapy
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Ovarian Neoplasms / genetics
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Ovarian Neoplasms / metabolism
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Receptor, ErbB-2 / antagonists & inhibitors
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Receptor, ErbB-2 / genetics
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Receptor, ErbB-2 / metabolism
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Receptor, ErbB-2 / physiology
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Receptor, ErbB-3 / antagonists & inhibitors
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Receptor, ErbB-3 / genetics
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Receptor, ErbB-3 / metabolism
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Receptor, ErbB-3 / physiology
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Receptor, ErbB-4
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Signal Transduction / physiology
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Structure-Activity Relationship
Substances
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EGFR protein, human
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ERBB2 protein, human
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ERBB4 protein, human
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ErbB Receptors
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Receptor, ErbB-2
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Receptor, ErbB-3
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Receptor, ErbB-4