Panitumumab (Vectibix?) in digestive oncology: Pharmacological and pharmacokinetic rationale [Le panitumumab (Vectibix?) en oncologie digestive: Quel rationnel pharmacologique et pharmacocinétique ?]

摘要

The rise of target therapies is a new hope in digestive oncology, including for treating metastatic colorectal cancer. Constant improvement in response and survival have been achieved, since the introduction of 5-fluorouracil as a single agent several decades ago, through the development of new cytotoxics such as irinotecan or oxaliplatin, or more recently with the era of biologics (e.g., bevacizumab or cetuximab). Panitumumab is a new 100%-human monoclonal antibody that targets the extracellular domain of the EGFR- 1 receptor. Because its mechanism of action is similar to that of cetuximab, chosing the best biologics to be used could be therefore an uneasy task. This review covers panitumumab's pharmacodynamic and pharmacokinetic characteristics, a new target therapy that could be an attractive therapeutic option in digestive oncology.