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Place des thérapeutiques moléculaires ciblées dans les carcinomes épidermoïdes des voies aérodigestives supérieures

Molecular targeted therapies in epidermoid carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract

  • Synthèse / Review Article
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Oncologie

Abstract

The development of molecular targeted therapies in oncology is currently experiencing rapid growth, focusing primarily on two large categories of molecules, monoclonal antibodies and tyrosine-kinase inhibitors. Their action is directed at different molecular targets, particularly receptors of the HER family such as the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR or HER1) and biological factors involved in the neoangiogenesis process such as VEGF. Cetuximab, an anti-EGFR monoclonal antibody, has been shown to be effective in the treatment of epidermoid carcinoma of the upper aerodigestive tract in association with radiotherapy (locally advanced tumors) or with conventional cytotoxic agents (recurrent or metastatic tumors). Intensive research efforts are currently ongoing to develop new molecules with original specific biological targets or able to interact with several molecular pathways, to combine these therapies either amongst themselves or with conventional therapeutic agents (radiotherapy and chemotherapy) and, above all, to determine the predictive factors of their efficacy and toxicity.

Résumé

Le développement des thérapeutiques moléculaires ciblées en cancérologie est, aujourd’hui, en plein essor et fait appel à deux grandes catégories de molécules, les anticorps monoclonaux (Acm) et les inhibiteurs de tyrosine-kinase (TKI). L’action de ces agents peut intéresser différentes cibles moléculaires parmi lesquelles, les récepteurs de la famille HER et, en particulier, le récepteur au facteur de croissance épidermique (REGF ou HER1) de même que les facteurs impliqués dans le processus de néoangiogenèse, comme le VEGF, qui tiennent une place majeure. Le cétuximab est un Acm anti-REGF qui a prouvéson efficacitédans le cadre des carcinomes épidermoïdes des voies aérodigestives supérieures (CEVADS) en association à la radiothérapie (formes localement avanceés) ou aux agents cytotoxiques conventionnels (formes récidivantes oumétastatiques). D’intenses efforts de recherche sont actuellement en cours pour tenter de développer de nouveaux agents agissant sur des cibles différentes ou ayant une action’ associer ces nouvelles molécules entre elles ou avec les thérapeutiques conventionnelles (radiothérapie et chimiothérapie) et, surtout, de déterminer les facteurs prédictifs de leur efficacitéou de leur toxicité.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. centre Antoine-Lacassagne, Unitéde chirurgie, 33, avenue de Valombrose, F-06189, Nice, France

    A. Bozec

  2. centre Antoine-Lacassagne, Unitéd’oncopharmacologie, 33, avenue de Valombrose, F-06189, Nice, France

    J. -L. Fischel & G. Milano

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  1. A. Bozec
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  2. J. -L. Fischel
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  3. G. Milano
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Correspondence to A. Bozec.

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Bozec, A., Fischel, J.L. & Milano, G. Place des thérapeutiques moléculaires ciblées dans les carcinomes épidermoïdes des voies aérodigestives supérieures. Oncologie 11, 152–159 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10269-008-1038-5

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