Cetuximab in advanced non-small cell lung cancer

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains a major problem in the western civilization and developing countries. Since most patients with NSCLC have advanced disease at diagnosis, to date, chemotherapy, with third-generation platinum-based doublets, represents the standard of care. Advances in the knowledge of tumour biology and mechanisms of oncogenesis has granted the singling out of several molecular targets for NSCLC treatment. Epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), a member of ErbB family, is one of the most studied target. Cetuximab is a chimeric (human-murine) monoclonal antibody directed against the extracellular domain of the EGFR that blocks ligand (TGF-α, EGF) access to the receptor. In the present paper we discuss about the activity, tolerability and efficacy of cetuximab, the EGFR monoclonal blocking antibody with the largest amount of clinical data being available on the treatment of advanced NSCLC.