Cetuximab as second-line therapy in patients with metastatic esophageal cancer: A phase II Southwest Oncology Group Study

Pingyangmycin downregulates the expression of EGFR and enhances the effects of cetuximab on esophageal cancer cells and the xenograft in athymic mice

“…Several recent studies combined cetuximab with radiotherapy, paclitaxel, irinotecan, fluorouracil or cisplatin for patients with esophageal cancer. During the clinical studies, no matter cetuximab as monotherapy or cetuximab combined with other chemotherapy, these results are encouraging although the combination with paclitaxel, carboplatin and radiation therapy is not standard care yet [24][25][26]. It has been reported that RAS/RAF mutations are negatively associated with response to cetuximab.…”

Esophageal and Esophagogastric Junction Cancers

“…The safety and efficacy of cetuximab, [233][234][235][236][237][238] erlotinib [239][240][241] and bevacizumab 242,243 have been evaluated in multiple phase II studies. Ongoing trials are evaluating the efficacy and safety of the agents mentioned earlier in combination with chemotherapy for the treatment of patients with advanced esophageal and EGJ cancers.…”

Developments in Treatment of Esophageal/Gastric Cancer

“…Cetuximab was given (400 mg/m 2 IV on week 1, and 250 mg/m 2 IV weekly thereafter) and patients were evaluated for toxicity weekly and for response every 8 weeks. Twenty of 55 eligible and evaluable patients survived more than 6 months with median OS of 4 months (95% CI 3.2-5.9) and the median PFS of 1.8 months (95% CI 1.7-1.9) [38]. These data indicate that EGFR inhibitor(s) is effective in the esophageal gastric cancer treatment either as a single agent or in combination with conventional cytotoxic chemotherapy or chemoradiation.…”