Metastatic colorectal cancer: optimizing treatment with anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody

Abstract

Colorectal cancer remains a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide despite substantial improvement in the standard of care. Although surgical resection in selected patients may potentially be curative, systemic therapy is the only choice of treatment for most patients with metastatic colorectal cancer. Anti-epidermal growth factor receptor (anti-EGFR) monoclonal antibody has established its role in the systemic therapy of metastatic colorectal cancer through multiple well-designed clinical trials and yet, the optimal use of anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody is undefined. This article serves to review the available evidence for anti-EGFR monoclonal antibodies and to speculate optimal strategy for their uses.