Anti-EGFR therapies in nasopharyngeal carcinoma

•The efficacy of combination cetuximab and radiotherapy or chemotherapy in NPC is controversial, and toxicity is more common comparing with nimotuzumab.•Addition nimotuzumab to conventional therapies may provide promising efficacy without increasing adverse events.•EGFR-TKIs offer no benefit for patients with NPC. Nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) is a common malignant tumor in Southern China and South-East Asia. Regardless of initiative high response to radiotherapy, parts of patients still have relapses and metastases. It is reported that epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is highly expressed in most of NPC and is a poor prognostic factor. Targeting EGFR therapies including monoclonal antibodies and EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitors (EGFR-TKIs), offer different benefits and toxicities for patients with NPC. Herein, we summarize the clinical evidence of anti-EGFR therapies in the management of NPC and provide a direction for the treatment and research of NPC in the future.