The discovery of epidermal growth factor (EGF) and its receptor (EGFR) revealed the connection between EGF-like ligands, signaling from the EGFR family members and cancer. Over the next fifty years, analysis of EGFR expression and mutation led to the use of monoclonal antibodies to target EGFR in the treatment of metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and this treatment has improved outcomes for patients. The use of the RAS oncogene mutational status has helped to refine patient selection for EGFR antibody therapy, but an effective molecular predictor of likely responders is lacking. This review analyzes the potential utility of measuring the expression, levels and activation of EGF-like ligands and associated processes as prognostic or predictive markers for the identification of patient risk and more effective mCRC therapies.

表皮生长因子（EGF）及其受体（EGFR）的发现揭示了EGF样配体之间的联系，这是EGFR家族成员与癌症之间的信号传导。在接下来的五十年中，对EGFR表达和突变的分析导致在转移性结直肠癌（mCRC）的治疗中使用靶向EGFR的单克隆抗体，并且这种治疗方法改善了患者的预后。RAS的使用癌基因的突变状态有助于改善患者对EGFR抗体治疗的选择，但是尚缺乏有效的分子预测因子。这篇综述分析了测量EGF样配体的表达，水平和激活以及相关过程作为预后或预测标志物的潜在效用，以鉴定患者风险和更有效的mCRC疗法。