HER-2/neu as a therapeutic target in non-small cell lung cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer.

HER-2/neu is overexpressed in most epithelial malignancies. Lung cancer, prostate cancer, and ovarian cancer are common epithelial tumors in which clinical trials are currently in progress to explore the potential therapeutic role for monoclonal antibodies to HER-2/neu (trastuzumab [Herceptin; Genentech, Inc, South San Francisco, CA]). In preclinical studies with tumor cell lines, trastuzumab was found to have additive and synergistic effects with some chemotherapeutic agents. Clinical trials investigating combination chemotherapy with trastuzumab and a variety of chemotherapeutic agents are already in progress in lung cancer.