表皮生长因子受体（epidermal growth factor receptor，EGFR）是与大多数上皮实体肿瘤密切相关的一种跨膜糖蛋白。EGFR的致癌机制很多，并且往往呈现出肿瘤特异性。由于EGFR在许多肿瘤发生过程中起着重要的促进作用，因此，EGFR已成为肿瘤靶向治疗领域的一个研究热点。目前，靶向EGFR的药物主要有两种： EGFR胞外区结合抗体和小分子酪氨酸激酶抑制剂。此文对EGFR的结构、致癌机制、靶向治疗等进行探讨，希望通过在分子和基因水平对EGFR在恶性肿瘤中所起作用的了解，促进肿瘤特异性抗癌药物的设计、开发和临床评价。

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is a membrane spanning glycoprotein, which frequently has been implicated in the majority of epithelial solid tumors. The mechanisms by which EGFR becomes oncogenic are numerous and are often tumor-specific. Because of its role in tumor promotion, EGFR has been intensely studied as a therapeutic target. There are currently two types of major drugs by which the EGFR is targeted: antibodies binding to the extracellular domain of EGFR and small-molecule tyrosine-kinase inhibitors. In this review, the structure of EGFR, oncogenic mechanisms and targeted therapy are discussed. Molecular and genetic understanding of how EGFR contributes to the malignant phenotype might offer new promise for the design, development and clinical evaluation of future tumor-specific drugs.