Cetuximab, a chimeric (mouse/human) anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody, is an EGFR inhibitor used for the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer and head and neck cancer. Cetuximab binds to EGFR and turns off the uncontrolled growth in cancers with EGFR mutations.Cetuximab can be used for treatment of KRAS wild type colon cancer but has little or no effect in colorectal tumors harboring a KRAS mutation. Before treatment using Erbitux, it is better to do a diagnosis using the real time PCR companion diagnostic test for KRAS, the therascreen KRAS test.
