ArticleBMC cancer2026
ERBITAG: Non-interventional study on the efficacy of cetuximab in first-line therapy in patients with RAS wild-type metastatic colorectal cancer.
Article in BMC cancer, 2026. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Not yet cited in PubMed.
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Abstract
backgroundMetastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) is a difficult-to-treat disease with poor clinical outcomes. Systemic chemotherapy in combination with targeted anti-EGFR therapy has expanded the treatment options for mCRC. However, the therapeutic efficacy of anti-EGFR regimens and relevant prognostic factors vary according to age, performance status and tumor location. The non-interventional ERBITAG study was performed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of cetuximab in first-line therapy in RAS WT mCRC patients under routine clinical practice.
methodsERBITAG is a non-interventional study of wild-type (WT) RAS mCRC patients initiating a first-line therapy with cetuximab from 2010 to 2018. Overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) were analyzed using the Kaplan-Maier methods. χ²-test was used to compare selected categorial variables.
resultsOf a total of 728 patients included, baseline characteristics were: median 67 years, male sex 69%, ECOG performance status ≤ 1 81.3%, left-sided tumors 64.5%, liver metastasis 73.4% and prior hepatic metastasis resection before cetuximab-based treatment 16.4%. Median PFS was 10.9 months, median OS was 23.6 months and ORR was 58.0%. Resection rate of liver and/or lung metastases under cetuximab-based therapy was 13.9% and 18.9% of liver metastases. The most common treatment-emergent event (TEAE) was acne-like rash (all grades: 46.8%; grade 3–4: 4.7%). Subgroup analysis showed better outcomes in younger patients (ORR, OS), patients with left-sided tumors (ORR, PFS, OS) and lower grade tumors (ORR, PFS, OS), patients with resected liver and/or lung metastases (PFS, OS) and patients with treatment breaks (OS). Skin prophylaxis with systemic antibiotics and/or topical steroids (ORR, OS, PFS) was associated with better outcomes.
conclusionsThe ERBITAG study provides insights into the use of cetuximab in a large RAS WT mCRC cohort in real-life clinical practice in Germany. Cetuximab in combination with first-line chemotherapy demonstrates clinical outcomes and safety data similar to results from the other pivotal randomized controlled trials.
trial registrationStudy Number: EMR062202-515 ( https://www.pei.de/SharedDocs/awb/nis-0101-0200/0114.html ) Registered on 04-MAY-2010.
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