EGFR family and gynecologic cancers

The HER family of receptor tyrosine kinases may potentially play an important role in gynecologic malignancies. Amplifi cation and overexpression of various HER family members including epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR/HER1) and HER2 have been reported in epithelial ovarian cancer and endometrial carcinoma as well as in cancer of the uterine cervix. High expression of EGFR has been associated with poor prognosis independent from histiotype while HER2 expression may be more histotype dependent. This review summarizes the clinical experience with anti EGFR/HER2 directed monoclonal antibody therapy in the three major gynecologic cancer types to date.