From conventional chemotherapy to targeted therapy: use of monoclonal antibodies (moAbs) in gastrointestinal (GI) tumors

Tumour Biol. 2014 Sep;35(9):8471-82. doi: 10.1007/s13277-014-2367-1. Epub 2014 Jul 26.

Abstract

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the diagnosis and treatment of gastrointestinal cancers. Researches and clinicians however are still faced with challenges, not the least is the detection and management of tumors with varied gene mutation status. Clarification of the molecular pathology of gastrointestinal cancers may improve treatment options as well as quality of life and the long-term survival of this patient class. Therefore, molecular-targeted therapies have emerged as clinically useful drugs for gastrointestinal cancers cure, and predictive biomarkers have been heralded as the way to develop the right drug for the right patient. Moving from such appealing molecular background, we wrote an overview of the main targeted therapies, with particular interest to monoclonal antibodies that have already been approved in clinical practice or are being tested in gastrointestinal cancers treatment.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal / therapeutic use*
  • Drug Therapy / methods*
  • Drug Therapy / trends
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / drug therapy*
  • Gastrointestinal Neoplasms / pathology
  • Humans
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / methods*
  • Molecular Targeted Therapy / trends
  • Quality of Life
  • Survival Analysis
  • Treatment Outcome

Substances

  • Antibodies, Monoclonal