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Effects of growth factors and receptor blockade on gastrointestinal cancer

R J Playford, H Wassan and S Ghosh

Gastroenterology Section, Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, London, UK

Correspondence to:
Correspondence to:
Professor R J Playford
Gastroenterology Section, Division of Medicine, Imperial College London, Hammersmith Hospital, Ducane Rd, London W12 0NN, UK; r.playford{at}imperial.ac.uk

The advent of recombinant peptide technology offers the potential to use one or several peptides to treat a variety of gastrointestinal conditions. However, although cell culture and animal models have shown proof of concept, we are still at a relatively early stage in translating their use to standard clinical practice. Similarly, peptide and non-peptide antagonists of growth factor receptors show great potential as novel antichemotherapy agents. However, their actual place in clinical practice has yet to be established.

Abbreviations: EGF, epidermal growth factor; EGFR, epidermal growth factor receptor; GLP-2, glucagon-like peptide 2; TGF-ß, transforming growth factor ß; GnRH, gonadotrophin releasing hormone; TKI, tyrosine kinase inhibitor

Keywords: epidermal growth factor; receptor blockade; gastrointestinal cancer; growth factor receptors

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