Pancreatic Cancer Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Pancreatic Cancer, including details on symptoms, causes, treatment, information.

Her signaling in pancreatic cancer.

Burtness B

Fox Chase Cancer Center, Department of Medical Oncology, Division of Medical Science, Philadelphia, PA 19111, USA. barbara.burtness@fccc.edu

Pancreatic cancer remains a treatment-refractory cancer. Standard therapy for metastatic cancer is gemcitabine chemotherapy, with a median survival of 5-6 months. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is commonly expressed in pancreatic cancer and has been evaluated as a therapeutic target. A Phase III trial of gemcitabine with or without the EGFR inhibitor, erlotinib, demonstrated a modest but significant prolongation of survival with the addition of erlotinib. A Phase II trial of gemcitabine with the anti-EGFR antibody cetuximab resulted in a 1-year survival of 32%. A Phase III trial of gemcitabine with or without cetuximab and a randomized Phase II trial of the Murren regimen with or without cetuximab are completed; results for both are anticipated in 2007. A Phase I trial of gemcitabine with the EGFR/Her-2 inhibitor, lapatinib, is completed. Improved patient selection and rational combination of targeted therapies will be necessary to optimize the management of patients with this tragic disease.

Published 8 June 2007 in Expert Opin Biol Ther, 7(6): 823-9.
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