Lack of usefulness of epidermal growth factor receptor expression determination for cetuximab therapy in patients with colorectal cancer.

摘要: In patients with metastatic colorectal cancer, the use of cetuximab currently requires a documented tumoral epidermal growth factor receptor positivity. Responses to cetuximab, however, have been described in receptor-negative tumors. We used all eligible whether their tumor expressed or not. assessed efficacy regard expression. Twenty cancer were treated off study and irinotecan after failure oxaliplatin- irinotecan-based regimens. Tumors analyzed for expression by immunohistochemistry. positive 12 cases negative eight cases. An objective response cetuximab-based therapy was obtained four (20%). these These results provide further evidence lack usefulness detection immunohistochemistry cancer.