Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
Review
. 2010 Apr;31(4):626-7.
doi: 10.3174/ajnr.A2054. Epub 2010 Feb 18.

Cetuximab (erbitux)

W Bou-Assaly  1 , S Mukherji
Affiliations
Review

Cetuximab (erbitux)

W Bou-Assaly et al. AJNR Am J Neuroradiol. 2010 Apr.

Abstract

Cetuximab, a recombinant chimeric monoclonal antibody, has been successfully used in the treatment of the head and neck and colorectal cancers. We present a review of its mechanism of action, indications, side effects and economic issues, accompanied by a clinical example from our institution.

PubMed Disclaimer

Figures

Fig 1.
Fig 1.
Schematic representation of normal expression of EGFR (HER1) (A) and the overexpression of EGFR (B).
Fig 2.
Fig 2.
Illustration of the EGFR (HER1) pathway. Ligand binding to EGFR results in dimerization. Successful dimerization results in initiation of a cascade, which results in cell proliferation.
Fig 3.
Fig 3.
Illustration of the effect of cetuximab on the EGFR (HER1) pathway. Cetuximab binding to the EGFR prevents dimerization and the downstream cascade.
Fig 4.
Fig 4.
Axial contrast-enhanced CT scans demonstrate an aggressive SCC involving the left true vocal cord (A), which extends superiorly to involve the left aryepiglottic fold (B) (arrowheads). The patient was treated with cetuximab and radiation therapy. C and D, Following treatment, there is a substantial reduction in the size of the lesion (arrowhead) compared with the pretreatment study.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

    1. Blick SK, Scott LJ. Cetuximab: a review of its use in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck and metastatic colorectal cancer. Drugs 2007; 67: 2585–607 - PubMed
    1. Wong SF. Cetuximab: an epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibody for the treatment of colorectal cancer. Clin Ther 2005; 27: 684–94 - PubMed
    1. Steiner P, Joynes C, Bassi R, et al. . Tumor growth inhibition with cetuximab and chemotherapy in non-small cell lung cancer xenografts expressing wild-type and mutated epidermal growth factor receptor. Clin Cancer Res 2007; 13: 1540–51 - PubMed
    1. Martinelli E, De Palma R, Orditura M, et al. . Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor monoclonal antibodies in cancer therapy. Clin Exp Immunol 2009; 158: 1–9 - PMC - PubMed
    1. Erbitux (Cetuximab); [package insert]. New York and Princeton, New Jersey: ImClone Systems and Bristol-Myers Squibb; 2009

MeSH terms