The efficacy and toxicity of EGFR in the settings of radiotherapy: Focus on published clinical trials

Basic research in solid malignant tumours has led to a wealth of knowledge about this disease process and about novel ways to more effectively target our therapies. Laboratory research continues to identify novel therapeutic targets and moreover, clinical research is identifying effective new treatment regimens. Many preclinical studies in this area have targeted the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) signalling pathway to increase radiosensitivity. The in vitro rationale for targeting EGFR and concurrent ionising radiation is well established, but to date, rare clinical data could provide proof-of-principle. Here we report all the different published clinical trials focusing on efficacy and toxicity in order to clarify and to summarise the present state-of-the-art of this particularly promising combination in solid tumour management.